Touhou: The Chronicles of Reinhardt
by Boomblox5896
Summary: I am Reinhardt David Torres. For a few years now, I've been obsessing over a certain world forgotten in time. I cannot stop dreaming about it, and now I've decided to search for this world called Gensokyo. This is my story. The journey will be rough and I'll have my life at risk, but I believe that I can make it through the trials that come my way.
1. Ch 1: Arrival

**Notice**: I do not own Touhou or any characters except for Reinhardt. ZUN owns Touhou and its belonging characters. Enjoy.

Twas upon a dreary and wet day in Japan when I arrived to the country to begin my search. What search would this be, you may ask? It is said that there is a secret place hidden from the rest of the world by means of a supernatural barrier. This world, you may ask again? The name of this place is Gensokyo. Over a couple of years ago, I have heard of it and it's wonders, as well as it's dangers. I very soon did as much research as I could on the topic, constantly dreaming of it, and now I have the chance to find it for real.

I got some yen and stayed a night at a few hotels as I made my way to a shrine that is said to hold the means of passing through this supernatural border between this world and Gensokyo. I found a particular mountain that has crumbled near a lake, which resembled the fabled geography of the lost land. I started heading east and on the way, the countryside was either desolate or paved with roads and modernized. Nevertheless, I continued East until I found a long set of stairs. My heart jumped with surprise at the sight of the old Japanese archway at the top. I ran up those stairs faster than I ever ran in Track or Cross-Country and found an old, abandoned shrine building. I winced at it, thinking there must possibly be a way into Gensokyo from here. That was when I saw the woman in the white and purple dress appear from a portal of sorts. I quickly hid around the corner of the shrine as I saw my key. My means. My door to Gensokyo. I just had to find a way into one of her portals. The woman here is named Yukari Yakumo. Someone who is said to be able to make these portals through space and travel anywhere. I circled around the house until I was behind her line of sight and found that her portal was still open. I made a run for it and took a leap of faith into this portal before she could turn around.

I tumbled in to find myself surrounded by three ladies. If my research is correct, I have just met Ran Yakumo, a nine-tailed fox, Chen Yakumo, a two-tailed cat, and Reimu Hakurei, the Shrine Maiden of Hakurei Shrine. We were all slightly shocked as Chen asked who this guy with the funny spiky hairdo was. I quickly spotted my window of opportunity as somebody was flying into them at top speeds by surprise. I made no efforts to see who it was as I made a run for it into the woods nearby. I would have to find somewhere to stay before nightfall, else I'd be forced to fend for myself with nothing but my survival knife and my Mosin Nagant rifle, Natascha.


	2. Ch 2: Hospitality

As I was running from indeterminable fate of being surrounded by very important and powerful figures among Gensokyans (and Chen), I saw a light through the forest trees. I decided to follow it and I found myself on the property of Alice Margatroid. I noticed the dolls flying around outside and inside her house and saw their creator on the front porch looking up suddenly from what seems to be a good book. I approached her ever so calmly to let her know I am not an enemy and decided to introduce myself.

**Reinhardt:** "Hello, my name is Reinhardt David Torres. I have come a long way on my journey and I need a place to stay. Would you mind giving a man somewhere to rest for the night, Miss?"  
**Alice:** "Well... um, of course. I'll get Shanghai to prepare the guest room for you. My name is Alice Margatroid. I make dolls that can take care of the house for me."  
**Reinhardt:** "I noticed that." I was careful not to mention that I knew about her from my research, otherwise who knows what would happen.  
**Alice:** "So you're new to Gensokyo?"  
**Reinhardt:** "Yeah. I've heard of this place and it's many wonders it has to offer me. I'm also aware of dangerous, man-eating youkai, so I decided to bring my Survival Knife with me, as well as my Mosin Nagant rifle, Natascha."  
**Alice:** "It has a name?"  
**Reinhardt:** "She, and yes. Some say it's strange to name belongings like weapons and tools, but I think it's a way of connecting yourself to your belongings. Like how you name your dolls, I name my weapons and belongings so they may serve me well."  
**Alice:** "You could never be more true. So what does your... _rifle_ do? If you don't mind me asking."  
**Reinhardt:** "I don't mind at all, and about Natascha? Well, Natascha is what my people call a _gun _and guns are very well known for being tools to kill people, often times instantly if you shoot them in the right spot. No extra lives. No second chance. Just Death. That's why I'm afraid to use it against the locals here unless they **seriously** wish for my demise." Alice was simply stunned at what I have just said.  
**Reinhardt:** "But don't worry. I promise not to hurt you in any way or use my rifle on you. _Promise._" Alice calmed down a bit from the shock.  
**Alice:** "...Well in that case, I promise the same, to make it fair."  
**Reinhardt:** "You're really nice, Miss Margatroid. Did you know that?"  
**Alice:** "Well thanks." She blushed. "And call me Alice."  
**Reinhardt:** "Alright, Alice. It seems to be getting dark already. I'll set my stuff in the guest room and get some rest. Thank you for your hospitality."  
**Alice:** "You're welcome. Shanghai will show you to the guest room. Good night. I'll see you in the morning."  
**Reinhardt:** "Good Night." I've made my first acquaintance in Gensokyo and found a place to stay for the night. Tomorrow, I'll see what this lost world has to offer me in the light.


	3. Ch 3: Returning the Favor

I woke up the next morning in the guest room of the dollmaker of Bucuresti, a.k.a. Alice Margatroid. She was nice enough to allow me to stay a night in her house. I suddenly caught the smell of food coming from somewhere, so I decided to get dressed and ready for the day, although it was raining outside. I followed the smell to Alice's Kitchen and saw her dolls cooking up some breakfast, which appears to be a more Eastern dish than the western dishes familiar to me.

**Alice**: "I see you're up already. I had my dolls make breakfast if you want some."  
**Reinhardt:** "Really? Well, thanks Alice. I really appreciate your kindness and hospitality. I heard that most youkai and other people aren't usually this nice, but you're very much different than they are. Maybe some day I can return the favor to you."  
**Alice**: "No, it's fine. I enjoy the company. I don't get many visitors here, but I go to visit my friends. I would've went to the Scarlet Devil Mansion, but it's raining outside now."  
**Reinhardt:** "Well, I wouldn't want to overstay my welcome, so I guess I'll head out."  
**Alice**: "Are you sure? It's raining outside. You could stay a bit longer. I have enough dolls to tidy up the house that I wouldn't mind."  
**Reinhardt:** "Nah, nah it's fine. I have a raincoat. I'll go gather my stuff. Thank you again ever so much for your kindness, Alice."  
**Alice**: "You're welcome back here any time you need somewhere to stay. I can also show you the way out of the forest."  
**Reinhardt:** "Thank you, I may need it." I went to gather my belongings from the guest room, including my Bible, my Mosin Nagant, and my Laptop. I checked all of my things to make sure they were in order and followed Alice and her Shanghai dolls out the door. I overheard her muttering about a book missing and having to ask Marisa. Marisa Kirisame is a well-known magician notorious for stealing books and such from people.  
**Alice**: "Reinhardt, do you mind me stopping by my friend, Marisa's for a bit on our way out of the forest?"  
**Reinhardt:** "Nah, I don't mind at all. It might be a good opportunity to meet new people." Or to bring a bit of justice to Gensokyo. Hmhmhm...  
We continued out the door into the Forest of Magic with an umbrella held by the Shanghai doll and took a path through the trees surrounding us and soon approached a house similar in fashion to Alice's house. Marisa was just about out her door when we approached her house.  
**Marisa:** "OH! Alice! I didn't expect you to be here. I was just off to see Reimu. How are you, ze?"  
**Alice**: "Hi Marisa. I was just wanting to stop by here after I had a guest at my house. He's new here and his name is Reinhardt."  
**Reinhardt:** "Hey there." I caught her staring at me with both curious interest and strangeness.  
**Marisa:** "Oh hi, nice to meetcha. I'm Marisa. Do you want to come on in? It's a bit drizzly out, ze."  
**Alice**: "Sure. Now I was coming here to ask you about something. I seem to have misplaced my book, my Grimoire. Would you happen to have seen it anywhere. I also lost one of my dolls somewhere."  
**Marisa:** "You're surely not assuming that I stole it, are you, ze?"  
**Alice**: "Actually, I am."  
**Marisa:** "Well how about we take this outside then. I'd hate to accidentally shoot your precious book among my belongings, ze. If it's in here, that is."  
**Alice**: "Reinhardt, you stay by the house. I'll make this as quick as possible."  
**Marisa:** "So will I."

Perfect. This is my opportunity to find Alice's book and doll to repay her. I decided to go back to Marisa's other rooms while the ladies were duking it out with magic outside. I scanned through the stacks of books and various trinkets for Alice's belongings. I came across an intercontinental ballistic missile while I searched. Wow! This thing can completely nuke the SDM with the proper station in good condition. I went back to my search and found a doll unlike Alice's other dolls. It must be a prototype or something. I put it in my bag and scanned the books again and eventually found a book titled The Grimoire of Alice. I quickly put it in my bag with the doll before the ladies' fight came to a conclusion. Soon enough, I heard a big explosion up in front of the house. I went to investigate quickly. Alice was on the ground as Marisa dusted off her cap. I quickly helped Alice up and dusted her off a bit.

**Marisa:** "It seems that your little investigation comes to an end." Indeed it has. Marisa Kirisame, guilty of theft.  
**Alice**: "*cough cough* Well, I guess I should help Reinhardt out of the forest and head back home."  
**Marisa:** "Yeah, you two lovebirds take care now, ze!" I can tell she must be jealous.  
**Reinhardt:** "Alice, are you alright?"  
**Alice**: "Don't worry, I'm fine. I just lost two precious belongings of mine." I had a crazy smile I couldn't hold in as I held those precious belongings in my bag.  
**Alice**: "Why are you- OH! Is this... how di..."  
**Reinhardt:** "I heard about those things of yours and decided to do some justice and search Marisa's witch shack for them, just for you."  
**Alice**: "I don't even know what to say... but thank you so much! I wouldn't know what to do without these. The doll was a work in progress in a breakthrough attempt to make a new and improved fighting doll. I understand why Marisa wanted to steal it. You're always welcome at my place for anything and anytime at all. Thank you so much!"  
**Reinhardt:** "Hey, I told you I'd return the favor." The weather had seemed to lighten up after the "visit" and Alice escorted me out of the forest safely.  
**Alice**: "I'll never forget your kind doings."  
**Reinhardt:** "Likewise!" As I walked on the road toward sunnier skies, I had a feeling in my heart that Alice likes me. Not just as a friend or acquaintance, but really likes me. I plan to visit her plenty in the future, but I'll decide to explore the rest of Gensokyo and see what surprises it holds for me.


	4. Ch 4: Of Christ and Contrabands

It was some time since my last visit with Alice and I decided to hike south toward the Human Village where I can hopefully conceal myself from Ms. Hakurei or Ms. Yakumo. Especially taking my surprise arrival to Gensokyo into consideration, I wouldn't doubt that they might be looking for me. When I arrived to the village, I made sure to wear my hood on my coat to hide most of my face, at least when I suspect I might be seen by people I don't want to be seen by. I wandered around town aimlessly and found that I couldn't find a place to stay unless I had enough yen to get a room, so I decided to free-climb my way on top of one of the building's roofs since it was a dry night tonight and sleep there until the morning or until I had to move. The morning sun rose surprisingly without a rough night for me and I woke up before most of the townsfolk, so I got down from the roof before the rest of the town decided to wake up with me and I used whatever yen I had to grab a small meal to eat. That was when I saw the posters. I saw what appeared to be... MY FACE! On a Wanted poster! I quickly put my hood on and held my head down before anyone started to notice, and with good timing too. I saw the Hakurei Shrine Maiden herself patrolling the streets, asking people around about a darkly and masculine stranger with spiky hair, which could only refer to me, so I quickly tried to find the nearest secluded alley to avoid detection and possible conflict when I heard a woman's voice behind me.

**?: **"So you must be the stranger in Gensokyo who was said to have arrived through one of my gaps." Oh crap. This could only mean one thing and there's no escape from this situation. I had to answer her before I was done for.  
**Reinhardt: **"...Y-yes... Yes Ma-am." To be honest, I'm not usually afraid in any situation, but I was paralyzed with fear here and I had to answer to the most powerful Youkai in Gensokyo. I mustered up my courage with the help of Christ, my LORD and stood up like a man and turned around to answer her again.  
**Reinhardt: **"Yes Ma-am I am. Reinhardt David Torres. I came through when you weren't looking, hoping to set foot in this fabled land lost in time. It's been my life's dream to come here and nothing's stopping me from living here. If there's a problem with me being here, we can talk it out or you can talk to my rifle, Natascha."  
**Yukari:** "Wow. I'm not exactly sure what to say. I was just wondering how you managed to get into Gensokyo, that was all. Were you really paralyzed with fear for a moment there?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Not anymore, I'm not. I've been told I should never fear anything as long as I have my Lord Jesus Christ on my side."  
**Yukari: **"Really now? I don't see anyone with you right now."  
**Reinhardt: **"He's Somebody you'll never be able to see unless you believe in Him. He's always been there for me like a friend, because He is my Friend and He can help me with anything as long as I have Faith in Him."  
**Yukari: **"Like He's your God or something?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Because He _is _my God! The important question is, is He yours?"  
**Yukari: **"Well, considering I haven't heard of Him, then no."  
**Reinhardt: **"Well I guess there's much I can teach you, if you're willing to hear of The Truth."  
**Yukari: **"I'd rather not, but you've proved to be a rather interesting outsider. I won't fight you or further chastise you for contra-banding yourself through one of my gaps into Gensokyo, but if you become a problem or threat to this world, I will hunt you down and take action when necessary."  
**Reinhardt: **"Says the one who is infamous for being untrustworthy and dishonest."  
**Yukari: **"Where did you find that out from?!" I can tell she is ticked and surprised. I just got myself into hot water again, but frankly I don't care.  
**Reinhardt: **"I just know. I can tell by looking at people's hearts and souls." Okay, that was a bit of a stretch and a lie. God forgive me, but it's the only way she may understand in a world like this. I then saw her blankly surprised face without words to speak. I took this as a chance to say my insincere farewell and suddenly leave before something even worse happened. I then heard a few noises and noticed that Reimu Hakurei was hot on my tail. Oh yeah, and I also noticed my hood off. Crap, well we aren't all perfect, now are we? I decided to continue dashing through the streets and out of town where I failed to shake Ms. Hakurei and headed toward the Forest of Magic again. Alice would be delighted to see me again anyways. I ran through the trees and along the path that became memorable to me and quickly came through Alice's back door that, strangely enough, one of her dolls opened for me. Not sure why, but I'm not complaining. I bet I surprised Alice with my sudden visit though.

**Alice: **"Oh goodness, Reinhardt! Back so soon? What's going on? You look like you're in a panic."  
**Reinhardt: **"Quick, Alice! Could you please hide me? There's no time to explain. I'll tell you everything later. Please?"  
**Alice: **"Well, uh sure, but this is a bit sudden. You can hide in the closet upstairs, but quickly. I think I see your pursuer."  
**Reinhardt: **"Thank you so much! I love you." I quickly said these words as I made my way up the stairs, avoiding any windows and shut myself in the closet. One of my favorite habits to do is to tell girls that I love them even for simply being them or if it's no big deal as long as I liked them in some aspect. It's become a habit and I hope I didn't make Alice go totally red-faced over it. I then overheard some conversation through the floorboards coming from downstairs. Reimu entered as part of her investigation, I'm guessing.  
**Reimu: **"Have you seen a human male about this high with black spiky hair and a tan complexion? He seems to be in a hurry."  
**Alice: **"No, I haven't heard about anyone like that here. Maybe you could try Marisa's house. She was talking about this one _guy_ she liked and it may raise some suspicion." Oh Alice, how I love you so much for doing this for me. Maybe she's doing it because she likes me too. She is very nice after all, but back to the conversation.  
**Reimu: **"Hm, that seems strange, but I guess I should go pay Marisa a little visit. Who knows what she's up to with this contraband at large." Wow, I really am wanted. And maybe that last comment I made at Yukari didn't help any at all, but I heard Reimu leave and one of Alice's dolls came to retrieve me from the closet to let me know the coast is clear. I came downstairs to meet with Alice.  
**Reinhardt: **"Alice, just so you know, I love you for this favor you've done for me. Now I promised I would explain to you what's going on." Alice's face was a bit flushed, but she refocused to ask about the encounter.  
**Alice: **"Now what was that back there? I actually would like an explanation."  
**Reinhardt: **"It's a bit of a long story so shut the curtains and grab a seat before she comes back for the truth. This might be a long night."


	5. Ch 5: Hiding and Planning

The time came that I had to explain myself about me coming to Gensokyo. What's not so bad is that I'm sharing it with my only Gensokyan friend, Alice. I told her to shut the curtains so if either Reimu or anyone else involved in the search for the contraband (a.k.a. me!) couldn't immediately see me inside Alice's house. I had to tell her about how I came to finding out about Gensokyo and how wonderful I thought it would be to come here. I told her about dashing through one of Yukari's "gaps" through space to reach here and how I ran from Reimu, Ran, and Chen in an opportunistic panic and stumbled upon her doorstep. The rest is recent history. Thankfully, she was calm enough to understand and be reasonable, so I had to tell her that there's probably no other place to hide for me, so I had to tell her that I would probably have to stay at her place until things clear up for me and my name in Gensokyo.

**Alice: **"So you'll have to stay here until you can either find somewhere else safe for you or clear your name?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Not exactly what you hoped? I know, I'm sorry if it's any trouble for you."  
**Alice: **"No, no... um, it's fine, really. I don't mind too much for you here. I actually think it's nice to have company, but I know a friend who lives in a big mansion who says she can hide you there if you're willing to do a task for her."  
**Reinhardt: **"Sure, I'm up for it. Who is this friend of yours? Don't worry, I'll make sure to visit you as much as I can." Alice blushed a bit.  
**Alice: **"Well, her name is Patchouli Knowledge and she asked the mistress of the mansion, Remilia Scarlet, if it was okay to house a hidden contraband if he retrieved a list of missing books from Marisa's house. Here's a list of the important things that Marisa stole from her library. You could probably tell by now that Marisa tends to steal books." Okay, the whole illegal contraband thing is starting to bug me a bit. It sounds like I've been convicted of murder or something, but from the sound of who my future hostess will be, it's most likely a trap, set by Yukari and her goons. I find it appropriate to call them that since that's what they are and I don't feel like naming off the list of Reinhardt hunters out there.

**Reinhardt: **"That doesn't sound too bad. I think I can be the man for the job. I already retrieved your things from that witch's cluttered shack of hers."  
**Alice: **"Hey, she may be a thief and everything, but she's still a human like you are. She's also my friend."  
**Reinhardt: **"Sorry, but you'd think that friends wouldn't steal from other friends' belongings. No offense or anything. I just have strong beliefs in order."  
**Alice: **"Yeah, I guess you're right. I guess a few people could learn a thing or two from you."  
**Reinhardt: **"Well, I think I'll start on that task tomorrow. You can ask Marisa to go with you somewhere while I raid her house of stolen goodies."  
**Alice: **"Perfect, we can go to the market together to restock on groceries and look at the flowers that bloom in Summer. Well, good night and good luck with clearing your name, Reinhardt."  
**Reinhardt: **"Good night, Alice. Maybe you can teach Marisa about how thievery should never exist in friendship. Oh, also, after I retrieve the list of items and books from Marisa's house, I'll head straight to the Scarlet Devil Mansion to return them and continue hiding until I can reason with my hunters."  
**Alice: **"Okay, I guess that's fine. Wait, how do you know about Remilia's mansion already?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Information gets around to me quickly, so I would know a few things about this place already. Good night, Alice."  
**Alice: **"Hm, well good night, then."

It's hard being a man being hunted down, especially in a place where everyone is more powerful than you are. even more so when people have ways of tricking you, but I am already expecting the unexpected so they will have another thing coming. I shall prepare for a long day and night tomorrow and the night will be even longer than the day, despite being Summer. Lord, watch over me as I am walking through the valley of the shadow of death and so that I may come out of this with You at my side. In Your Holy and Righteous name, Jesus, Amen.


	6. Ch 6: Of Love and War

Morning arose and I made sure to get up and ready for what may be the most dangerous day I decide to wake up to. I smelled some breakfast cooking a bit, so after I organized my gear together that I may need I headed into the kitchen to see Alice's dolls preparing an Eastern dish that I haven't quite familiarized myself with. I soon saw Alice arrive in the kitchen, all dressed up and ready for the day as well. As soon as I saw her, I proceeded to tell her something that was very important to me as we had our meal.

**Reinhardt: **"Ah, Guten Morgen, Fraulein Margatroid!"  
**Alice: **"Guten Morgen, Reinhardt! I see you know a bit of Deutsch, ja?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Ja! Oh, um, Alice. There's something very important I need to tell you about today."  
**Alice: **"Yes, Reinhardt?"  
**Reinhardt: **"It's about Remilia and Patchouli's plan. I... sense a trap behind their 'good intentions' of helping me out."  
**Alice: **"What?! Well, it seems believable considering Remilia requires human food from the outside world, but do you think you should continue doing this favor for them?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Well, I don't want to turn down a chance to show them I can do some good for them. I want to try and clear my name in front of them, and if they're going to go as far as to breaking a deal for food then they're nothing but a bunch of monsters. Alice, I want you to listen closely to me. I'm taking a huge risk here, so I'm not sure when I'll see you next. I have the rest of my belongings aside from my gear in the guest room. Please keep it somewhere safe for me. I'll try to come back for them if things go bad at the Scarlet Devil Mansion. And also, one more important thing... Alice... I love you." She was speechless at this point.  
**Reinhardt: **"From the very day that you were generous and hospitable, I admired your kindness and beauty. These feelings will never die out even if I die today. I just wanted you to know this." Alice was still stunned and silenced by this statement.  
**Alice: **"... Reinhardt... I don't even know what to say... I didn't expect you to feel the same way. I like you too, but before you ever came here, I liked Marisa for some reason. But now that you came into my life, my world's been turned completely around. I feel like my eyes have been opened for the first time. Reinhardt... I love you too, but now with you taking on this life-risking task, I don't know what I'll do anymore if you die."  
**Reinhardt: **"Don't worry, Alice. When you come back from your errand with Marisa, look for me at Remilia's Mansion. I may be there or on my way out of it, but if you don't find me coming from the Scarlet Devil Mansion, search for me there. If you still can't find me there, please take care of my belongings. I will find a way back however I can. I love you, Alice. Until we meet again."  
**Alice: **"I love you too. Please don't go. I can still hide you here."  
**Reinhardt: **"No, they'll eventually find me here and they'll punish you with me. I don't want that happening, my love." Her eyes almost began to tear. I wiped them with my handkerchief as she spoke.  
**Alice: **"Well, I guess until we meet again..."

As we both left for Marisa's house, she tried to brighten up as I tried to cheer her up. I gave her my handkerchief to wipe her tears and she felt a bit better by the time we were coming up to Marisa's house. I still can't believe she would like such a thief that even steals from her, but I had to quickly hide out back before Marisa could see me and I watched Alice and Marisa walk out of sight, which prompted me to proceed into Marisa's house. I got out the list of missing books that Alice gave me from Patchouli. I carefully searched the messy pile of books, tomes, even a scroll or two for the books from the list. It took a while, but after I was positive that I got every book on the list, checking twice, I quickly exited the house before Marisa returned, as I noticed the sun starting to set. I quickly left after making sure things didn't look suspicious and headed down a path that wouldn't cross Alice's house and headed west toward the Scarlet Devil Mansion, worrying about the coming night. After all, Remilia Scarlet is a vampire and vampires are nocturnal for good reason. I kept my hood on as I traveled to my destination as fast as I could.

I eventually reached the large estate drenched in shades and hues of red with my energy partially drained from the jog here. It's a good thing I ran Cross-Country back in my high school years, because I would've been dead already by the time I approached the gate. I made sure not to show any signs of weakness, only business. The Gatekeeper is a slightly tall Chinese woman named Hong Meiling who definitely looked like _she_ meant business (at least when she's awake). I took off my jacket's hood and she seemed to instantly recognize me. Wow, they definitely anticipated my arrival.

**Meiling: **"Right this way, Torres-san. The mistress and Patchouli are waiting for you." Torres-san? I guess it's the formal way of addressing me as a business partner.  
**Reinhardt: **"Yes, Ms. Meiling."

I followed Hong Meiling into the mansion, which really is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. I was then escorted by two fairy maids. I watched as small sparkles flaked off of their wings as they hovered over the floor. I then found myself in what seemed to be the Mansion's Tea Room. Sitting on a fancy chair to the right of me was Patchouli Knowledge. I nodded to her and greeted her as she told me I could give her assistant, Koakuma, the books retrieved from Marisa. She checked every single book and page and was impressed at my talent for retrieving the books. After that business was done, I turned to my hostess and the owner of the mansion, Remilia Scarlet, accompanied by her head maid, Sakuya Izayoi. They all appeared to be who they say they are, all right. Remilia then proceeded to formally greet herself.

**Remilia: **"Good evening, Mr. Torres. I am Lady Remilia Scarlet. You may address me as m'lady if you wish."  
**Reinhardt: **"I've heard of you before, m'lady. Good words, I assure you though."  
**Remilia: **"I do hope so. Anyways, this is my head maid, Sakuya Izayoi. She does much of the work, including cleaning and cooking. Please treat her with the utmost respect, lest you wish to be stabbed by several knives in the blink of an eye."  
**Reinhardt: **"Ah yes, I've heard of the famous time manipulator. Nice to meet you, Miss Izayoi." I held out my hand for a traditional hand shake, but it took her a moment to understand what the gesture was and returned the greeting.  
**Remilia: **"And I see you have met Patchouli Knowledge, our librarian who owns the books you retrieved." I greeted her with a handshake as well, but not once did Remilia acknowledge Patchouli's assistant, Koakuma. Then I realized that she must've immediately went to put the books back into the library.  
**Patchouli: **"You may have heard by now that Marisa Kirisame was the one who stole the books from my library. Although she may steal them again in the future, I truly appreciate you taking your time to return these stolen belongings of mine. We would like to return the favor by offering you protection from your hunters. I heard you entered here through one of Yukari Yakumo's gaps to get here."  
**Remilia: **I must say, I admire your bravery by coming here the way you did. Especially considering that Gensokyo is full of man-eating Youkai. You could've easily been snatched up and _killed_ by a hungry Youkai, so what made you come here? I do wonder." I can tell that she's trying to intimidate me.  
**Reinhardt: **"Well, I fear nothing that would come against me and I decided to come to Gensokyo after hearing about this wonderful land that is separated from the rotten and corrupt outside world. I couldn't stand the outside world anymore. I saw the world crumbling because of the deeds of corrupt men very much **unlike **myself, so I decided to come to this land said to have been separated from the rest of the world so I could live a more peaceful life away from the oncoming darkness of the outside world."  
**Remilia: **"However, it seems that you have found an even darker place." I realized this and thought back on all the research about Youkai and all of the events that had happened in Gensokyo and started having feelings of regret for coming here. For some reason, I started to sweat, allowing me to show weakness.  
**Remilia: **"I do apologize. Did I worry you. Don't worry. With you here, none of the other Youkai would know you're here." This only hinted even more to my possible impending death.  
**Sakuya: **"I bet you're already exhausted from coming all this way here. Do you want me to show you where you'll sleep for the night?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Yes, I would appreciate that, Miss Izayoi." I kept my Rifle and survival knife at the ready, in case Sakuya was given orders to finish me off quickly and cleanly. It seems that Sakuya has taken notice to this and proceeded to escort me without any harm done to me. Thank You, Lord, for always protecting me from evil. Perhaps someday, the souls of this mansion's residents will be able to step into the light that You shine down from Heaven. Sakuya showed me my room and allowed me to unpack my belongings. When she left, I remained to keep my gear at the ready. I decided to get some quick shuteye with my clothes on and my belongings beside my bed and set an alarm on my cell phone to wake me up approximately three or four hours later.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for always watching over me and protecting me from harm in this dangerous world new to me. Continue to watch over me in one of the darkest places in Gensokyo and may there be a day that Your Light and Word will reach the minds and souls of these dark people that they won't need to hide from the Light, hide from You, God. And please send your Angels to watch over my new friend, Alice, for if anybody comes to question her about her association with me that You will protect her from the harm of the enemy, and may I always continue to be Your ever-so-faithful servant. In Jesus' name, Amen.


	7. Ch 7: Rock Bottom

I suddenly awakened to the sound of my alarm that I set. I was almost wondering when it would go off or if I even needed it because the night was full of insanity for me. I was starting to fear what would become of me if I stayed any longer, but I should never forget that God is watching over me. He even shut the mouths of lions when Daniel was in the lions' den for serving God. I got myself together and grabbed my belongings, making sure everything was in place. I slowly opened the door to my room without a sound and proceeded to go down the hallway, doing my best to avoid detection. I tried to remember the directions that Sakuya took to get to my room and reversed it as I avoided being spotted by Sakuya herself, along with any of the other fairy maids in case they were given any orders concerning me. I found myself approaching the room I was brought to earlier in the night and heard a conversation going on. I soon recognized the two voices as Remilia's and Patchouli's. I got as close as I could without being seen to listen in on their conversation.

**Patchouli: **"...hardt and I made a deal. He would stay here if he retrieved my books for me and we would hide him from Yukari and whoever else she hired to find him. He could be even more useful to us if we allow him to do more tasks for us."  
**Remilia: **"Patchi, you're my good friend, but you're forgetting. We decided to hire him as part of Yukari's contract to give us human food from the outside world. If you wanted your books back, you could've asked Sakuya or your assistant of yours to retrieve them. Better yet, you could get up off of your own lazy butt and get them yourself!"  
**Patchouli: **"You know me, I'm an indoors kind of person. I also have Asthma and it could act up any time."  
**Remilia: **"Well I'm a vampire. I have an excuse to stay indoors! And _you_ have an inhaler you can take with you, so stop making these excuses and let me have my dinner! If anything goes wrong, then we can always call Yukari to settle this matter. She is, after all, the one who is looking for this fugitive or whatever he is."

**I knew it!** I couldn't quite confirm it until now! Let's be glad I didn't say that out loud, because _I'm out of here!_ I felt a bit shaky from the jeopardy of my life, but I turned around and had all-the-more reason to shake. Standing behind me was a somewhat tall-seeming maid clad in a blue maid's outfit with a pocket watch in one hand and three knives in the other. Sakuya Izayoi had completely pinned me down.

**Sakuya: **"Going somewhere, Torres-san?" I was quickly in a cold shock from the surprise.I didn't know what to say at that point, but I quickly tried to grab my survival knife as Sakuya threw hers close to my hand.  
**Sakuya: **"Don't even think about it. Maybe we should talk to the mistress about this matter if you want to get violent." She grabbed me by the arm and walked me into the room where Remilia and Patchouli were as they were surprised by my unexpected entrance with Sakuya. My heart was racing as my mind was telling me to race out of here. I tensed the arm Sakuya was grabbing, but she clenched on tighter.

**Remilia: **"Oh, you're not thinking of leaving us so soon, are you? I thought you wanted to stay safe and hidden."  
**Reinhardt: **"Your plans are full of nothing but nasty selfishness involving the shedding of my blood! You had no intentions of keeping me safe. All you wanted was a taste for my flesh! That is _all_ you care about! We-" She cut me off there with Sakuya stilling my voice with her knife close enough to my neck to make an incision with the slightest of words.  
**Remilia: **"What did you expect? I'm a vampire after all, and you're a simple human in a world full of man-eaters. It seems that the cricket jumped right into the mouth of the lizard, and you're no lizard."  
**Reinhardt: **"The both of you are cold-blooded anyways, you bloody lunatic!"  
**Remilia: **"Yes I am, aren't I. Hahaha ha. You're not going to leave this place alive unless _I say so!_"  
**Reinhardt: **"Sure I will, **watch me!**"

I grabbed Sakuya's knife-wielding hand with my free hand and headbutted her until she let go of me as I kicked her away. I quickly ran out of the room and into the hallway, making random turns, trying to figure out the relative architecture of the building to help me out. Sakuya tried to cut me off by using her time-manipulating power to "teleport" in front of me, but I just rammed into her and cast her aside as I continued toward the main hall. When I arrived there and started heading towards the door outside, I suddenly saw a familiar portal pattern appear before me, forcing me to stop. The ever-so-recognizable figure then emerged from her gap, followed by her nine-tailed fox friend. Before me stood Yukari Yakumo and her subordinate, Ran Yakumo. At that point, I ran out of breath and energy and fell to a knee.

**Yukari: **"Aww, giving up already? Weren't you the one who spoke of a God who helped you with just about anything? He must be sleeping!"  
**Reinhardt: **"**You shut your mouth!** My God never fails or sleeps! He will help me out of this storm! You will see! My God can't say that there will be no storms or hard times, but He promised me that He will help me out of those storms." As I look upon the situation I'm in, it'll truly take a miracle from God and His Angel armies to get me out of here. I see the enemy wherever I look, including Sakuya having been slightly beaten by my haste.  
**Yukari: **"Since you like to talk about your wonderful God in Heaven, how about I send you somewhere on the other side of the universe."  
I couldn't even imagine how she could pull that off, but when she said that, she opened another gap and Ran grabbed me to throw me in. Lord, whatever is going on, I hope You have a plan for me. You always do and it comes together for me when You've done Your work. As I get my senses back together, I notice dark, jagged and cold-hard walls around me going as far up as I can see and I look up to see a few stars fading with a slight tint of orange. I can only guess that I'm in a huge, deep hole far down enough to reach... **The Underworld!** Well, I don't believe that it's anything even remotely relating to some former hell because I _know _what hell would be in reality according to The Word Of God, but I still look at these walls and see how far up they go and begin to doubt when Jesus spoke to me. _"Do not doubt, for I am there for you. I was always there for you, knowing_ _where you will go because I've already been there, My Child. I command all of the Universe because I created it, and I shall lead you out of the valley of the shadow of death, if only you will keep your faith in Me, child." _When I heard these words, I knelt down to glorify Him endlessly, confidently believing that I will make it out of here. Thank You, Lord, for always being at my side and protecting me from danger.


	8. Ch 8: Friends in Low Places

Upon the hard rock and tough dirt I was tossed upon, I somehow fell asleep from all the exhaustion. I couldn't keep myself from dreaming about Alice back up on the surface. I hope she's okay. I don't want to worry her sick. I promise to return back to the surface to her. But first, I'll need some help. I could faintly see sun rays above me at the top of this chasm of sorts and I barely heard a voice or two and some footsteps. The rest of what I remember was an entire blur, but I definitely couldn't feel the hard ground beneath me. Was someone or something carrying me? That could probably explain what I woke up to. I was still exhausted, but I opened my eyes just a bit and found myself in a house. Could I have been on the surface already? No, that can't be. I don't see sunlight. I also see my belongings up against the wall near me. I don't quite know what's going on, but my mind just needs time to wake up with me. I hear some voices outside, but I can't understand them clearly or tell who any of the voices belong to. Then I saw a tall blonde woman with a dress and a red horn on her forehead. I couldn't understand this unexplainable phenomenon as to why she of all people would take me in. I was looking up at Yuugi Hoshiguma, one of the Big Four Oni of the Mountain.

**Yuugi: **"I'm starting to question myself about why I brought a scrawny little man like you down here. Get up. I don't think the fall down here was too bad, or however you came here. Mind telling me how you got here?" Alright, so I am a bit on the small side when it comes to muscle, but having a woman with superhuman-like strength poke at the fact makes it a bit worse.  
**Reinhardt: **"I don't mind telling you the whole story. Lemme jus... get myself awake after that huge ordeal I had at the Scarlet Devil Mansion. I came here for the wonders Gensokyo has to offer and I was sure in for a surprise alright."  
**Yuugi: **"Well, things just got interesting. I guess it was a good idea to carry you down here after all." _Down_ here? I must be in the Ancient City somehow. Hopefully I can find a way back up or someone can help me up. Someone like Yuugi.  
**Reinhardt: **"I was thrown down here by Yukari. I bet you're familiar with her. Anyways, she, along with her friends, decided to hunt me down for coming in here by illegal means according to them, apparently. I saw nearly nothing wrong with the way I jumped through one of her portals into Gensokyo. I wanted to come here because of all of the corruption and tyranny going on in the outside world. I didn't want to wait around to see what the world around me would become. I wanted a way out. A way to be free from the tragic chaos unlike the chaos you and the other oni enjoy making."  
**Yuugi: **"Wow, and I thought you were brave enough already to be found down here with us oni. So you decided to break free from the outside world and come here to a world full of dangerous adventure? You don't cease to amaze me yet. I guess your courage makes up for all of these scrawny little bones of yours. Tell you what, I'll make you a deal. I like you and your style so I want to help you. In return, I'd like to see you work those muscles of yours, if you have any. I'll train you and make you a bit stronger every day. Whaddya say?"  
**Reinhardt: **"I've heard stories of the Oni and their unfaltering honesty and trustworthiness. I admire and respect that about you. It's a deal. I need to exercise anyways. I work my lower body enough running, but what I need is some more upper body strength. I believe I can trust you as far as you can throw me, but **please don't test that!** I had enough of being thrown around in the last 24 hours."  
**Yuugi: **"Hehe, I can believe that. You hardly weigh a single pound to me. Don't worry. I promise to help you up to the surface and maybe even help you settle this thing between you and Yukari. Yukari's too powerful for you to handle, so I wouldn't mind fighting for you if I have to. It's just that I better see you lifting some weights like you _mean _it."  
**Reinhardt: **"Don't worry, I intend to fulfill my side of the deal. I'm talking to one of the strongest oni in the underworld after all."  
**Yuugi: **"Ah, so you've heard of me? Well, I am famous as one of The Big Four of the Mountain. I know a friend of mine who's also one of them, but she lives topside with humans and the other youkai. Don't ask me why she went up there, but I guess she must like the fresh air or something like that. But anyways, you must've been through a lot already. You better get some more rest while you can. We start training tomorrow."  
**Reinhardt: **"Wait, so how can you tell when days pass? I do wonder."  
**Yuugi: **"A few kappa from the surface made some clocks for us underground people and brought them down here, properly dialed and everything."  
**Reinhardt: **"Hm, that's neat. I should meet one of these kappa. I take a liking for technology. Well good night, I guess. Oh, I'm Reinhardt, by the way. Nice to meet you."

Yuugi then properly introduced herself and then told me that I could sleep on the floor like in old Japanese culture. The place itself was like an old Japanese house. Since I didn't have my Bible with me (I left It with Alice) I could only hope that Alice could find the time to read It and understand the Word of God and hope that she didn't lose It or have It stolen by Marisa and tossed in with the junk in Marisa's house. If that were ever the case, I hope Marisa reads It and learns that her ways are wrong and repents. Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for always finding a way for me to survive and for protecting me from danger. Although I may be in a place that they call former hell, the only thing I believe is that You will find a way for me to get out of here thanks to my new acquaintance, Yuugi. May the praise and glory ever be to You, Lord and I shall serve You all my days. In Your Holy Name I pray, Amen.


	9. Ch 9: Out of the Frying Pan

By the time the morning of the next day arose, although I couldn't tell much since I was underground, my training under Yuugi had started and so has my heart. I've never felt my heart race as much as it did on a daily and constant rate. Not even when I had my little run-in with the ladies back at the Scarlet Devil Mansion had my heart pumped so much. The training was a bit tough for me, especially since Yuugi constantly yelled at me, using the typical degrading talk that my old Cross-Country coach, Mrs. Stevens would probably use, but in the context of Gensokyo and its population and whatnot. The only thing that made my job the toughest was Yuugi's words of discouragement. Then again, words were always a weapon when used in the wrong way, and it proved to be effective against me. However, I got used to it and in almost no time, all the weight-lifting, exercise, and a strict diet of meat, protein and other extremely healthy things that could only be found in Gensokyo was all worth it. I felt so much power coursing through my arms, chest, and core like never before!

Yuugi showed me around the city a few times, showing off how she would train a human to be at least half as strong as the average oni. I wasn't sure how that would happen, but she's said to be an unexplainable phenomenon, which sounds a bit like God, but God is more powerful and more omnipotent than anything, but that one characteristic makes me think that God is almost undoubtedly using Yuugi in a way. I don't doubt it, except for the fact that she also mentioned something about a bet she made with some other oni, but if that's the way that God can get the attention of an oni, then so be it. There was also something about Yuugi that helped me overlook that other fact. It was about wondering why she decided to take me in in the first place. She had to be a better person than she appeared to be. She was still a generally decent person, aside from being the loud and rowdy kind who liked fights. She always made sure I was fed well and got the rest I needed at the end of the day, according to the clocks down here because _we're underground! _Boy, do I miss the sun and moon.

**Yuugi: **"Hey, Reinhardt! Tomorrow's your lucky day!"  
**Reinhardt: **"How come?"  
**Yuugi: **"Tomorrow, we can go up to the surface. All this hard work you've been doing is gonna pay off." I had a strange feeling about this statement, but it was immediately overcome with positivity and optimism over this weary soul with a ripped body.  
**Reinhardt: **"Awesome! You're amazing, Yuugi. Thank you so much for your hospitality and training. I needed it, especially in my darkest hour."  
**Yuugi: **"Nah, don't mention it. It wasn't much. Whaddya want, a hug? C'mere you!"

She then grabbed me and squeezed me up against herself. I could feel my spine popping and I could've been suffocated by her chest, but she meant well by it. It wasn't very often that an oni hugs someone anyways, so it really must've meant something for her. It was like she was the best older sister I've never had. My actual older sister wasn't much of one and hated hugs from me, but she was still my sister and I loved her like a brother. I guess I was like a little brother to Yuugi as well. The next morning, we headed toward the chasm that showed the surface's sky. This was going to be the first time I've seen the light from the sky this week.

**Reinhardt: "**So now we're back to where I was from the beginning."  
**Yuugi:** "Of course we are. The answer to your problem was not only my training, that, not to mention, got me some serious yen, but it's also all around us."  
**Reinhardt: **"Lemme guess. Rock climbing?"  
**Yuugi: **"Yep. You're not afraid, are you? Oni never cower, especially on a deal!"  
**Reinhardt: **"I'm not afraid. Never was, never will be."  
**Yuugi: **"Good. You better strap down your bag, because if you drop something, there's no going after it again. Understand?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Gotcha. I've got everything I came down here with."  
**Yuugi: **"Alright, I'm coming up with you too. It's been a while since I've been topside anyways. How about you get a head-start so you don't end up seeing up my dress."  
**Reinhardt: **"Hey, I know better than to do something as lewd as that, especially to family, but I'll head up anyways. The Assassins will be proud of me."  
**Yuugi: **"Heh, family. People _do_ like calling me 'big sister'."

As I ascended the cold, hard, oppressing walls of the big hole, I felt all of my hard training pay off. I climbed the cliff's face with the intent of reaching the top fearlessly. My hands and fingertips hardened and toughened with all the weight of their world, it seemed, put on them instead of my feet. The cracks were utilized as a grip for me as I made my way to the top, grip by grip. Knowing that Yuugi had my back, I overcame any intruding fear inside of me and soon reached the surface with my heart beating as if it were about to jump out of my now muscular chest. I took a knee to breathe and to thank God for delivering me out of the depths with another new friend. Yuugi soon emerged from what she called home onto the grassy earth that was now below our feet.

**Yuugi: **"Nice job! Not once did you stop for more than a second!" Yuugi patted me on the back, which kinda made recovering my breath a bit hard, but her words meant a lot to me, coming from one of the Big Four Oni of The Mountain.  
**Reinhardt: **"Thanks, sister. You helped me do this. You're an amazing coach."  
**Yuugi: **"It's nothing, really. But thanks. Now I wonder where we can find Yukari. It always seems that she's never around when you want her."  
**Reinhardt: **"Figures, but there's something more important that I need to check on. We need to head to Alice's place as soon as we can. I spent a few nights at her place and I left the rest of my belongings there. I was wondering if everything was okay over there while I was gone."  
**Yuugi: **"Ooh, so you have a girlfriend? I thought Alice liked Marisa."  
**Reinhardt: **"Well, I did confess my love for her before I left for the Scarlet Devil Mansion and she said she liked me back. And for the record, yes she _did_ like Marisa, but not anymore."  
**Yuugi: **"Hm, that's interesting. I was also wondering about you and the Scarlet Devil Mansion. What exactly happened over there?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Well, long story short, Patchouli and Remilia offered to help me out with me and my _Wanted _status, but it turned out that they only wanted to make me into a juicy steak dinner."  
**Yuugi: **"**Those selfish little demons! **They're no better being above where I live! Reinhardt, it sounds like we have lots of things to do while we're up here. Your big sister's here to beat up your bullies!"  
**  
**These words were very reassuring, seeing that I don't have any magical spell cards to fight people with, and I don't plan on using any either. I don't like magic, but I'll have to deal with it being in a world full of it. I'm just glad that somebody's willing to fight for me, if need be. I hope Alice is alright, though. Yuugi and I then started off toward the Forest of Magic to check on the status of my belongings and my love (the name of the forest itself still bothers me to this day though, geez).


	10. Ch 10: Of Assassins and Thieves

From the now two-way entrance underground, Yuugi and I decided to walk north toward the Hakurei Shrine and the forest of inexplicably immoral energy (or for you Gensokyans, The Forest of Magic). On the way there, I told Yuugi stories about a certain group of people called the Assassins and those who abused power against the weak. She gave her thoughts on those with power and disapproved of the Assassins' methods of fighting people, saying that it was very cowardly of them. I explained to them that what they did was morally more right than the people throughout history who would abuse their power for their own selfish gain. I told her that the Assassins killed the strong to free the weak and protect those who couldn't do so themselves. She had a hard time understanding why people would do something for those who were so weak and afraid, but I reasoned to her about how it would be the right thing. She seemed to understand from that point. Maybe she won't be so merciless for the weak and cowardly if they weren't the wicked kind.

I feel better about myself telling people about doing good things. I feel like I'm doing the right thing myself, but it's not completely so unless they know the Love of Jesus Christ, which I feel that I should tell the people around me all about. I remember being taught that some of us Children of God were called to be ministers that should go out into the word and spread the gospel, but the outside world nowadays seems to reject that like oil rejects water. The Living Water. We then reached a fork in the road near the Human Village and stopped.

**Yuugi: **"Well you can go on ahead and retrieve your belongings and your 'girlfriend' if you wish. I have some business with an old friend of mine. I heard she usually stays at the Hakurei Shrine. I'll see you soon."  
**Reinhardt: **"Until we meet again, sister. I hope you'll think about a few of the things I told you about."  
**Yuugi: **"I might."

I could only hope she would, though. I headed off to that forest ever-so-familiar to me and followed the main path to Alice's house. The first thing that worried me was the fact that the dolls seemed to either do nothing but sit around idly or frantically fly around the house as if they were looking for something... or some_one_! I then quickly started up a search of my own around the house as one of the dolls seemed to instinctively offer me a cookie from the kitchen. I didn't have the time for one or the time to wonder why so I searched every room, looking behind every door while feeling a bit guilty doing so since it felt a bit wrong to go in-depth into the house when it suddenly occurred to me that I should have checked my belongings first.

I ran down to my guest room and saw that all of my stuff was scattered as if it were dumped out of the bag that held it. Only the basic stuff like clothes and toiletries were spared while my special belongings like my ammo canister for Natascha and my MP3 player went missing! I was enraged when I found this out, but what's missing more importantly is my Bible! Whoever had it right now probably needs to read it, but I would like to know exactly who would rummage through my belongings like that. I knew Alice wouldn't because she's too nice for that, but then a thought suddenly came into mind. I decided to take a little trip to Alice's infamous neighbor, Marisa and give her a little piece of my mind if she was home. If not, I'd trash the dump that she calls home, as if it weren't trashed as is.

I straightened up my things in the bag it belonged in and took the only things I would need at the moment over to Miss Kirisame's house. A knife, a gun, and some brass. I jogged to Marisa's house in a fury, but allowed myself to save energy for when I arrived while endless thoughts of violence and murder raced through my mind. I wasn't worried about Marisa Shoop-da-Whooping me, I was more worried about me being labelled as a murderer and sent to the gallows as one would say from over a century ago. I marched up to Marisa's front doorstep and banged the door with the butt of my rifle and soon enough, the witch in black and white herself showed up with a face that looked like it was about to smack my own. I raised my rifle and pointed it dead-straight toward her face. At this point, all confidence and upset feeling left her face to be replaced by fear where it belonged.

**Reinhardt: **"You probably know me already and moreso after I disappeared, but I have some questions to ask you. I hope for your sake that you answer them honestly and quickly, lest you lose a head over your foolishness."  
**Marisa: **"So you're that outsider that the higher-ups are talking about. I see your face everywhere on posters now. Some have big rewards posted on them. Dead or alive, they say."  
**Reinhardt: **"I haven't started the interrogation yet and I haven't even resorted to torture, but at least you're answering me with some of the info I want. Alright, spill some more info. Whaddya know about my belongings at Alice's house?"  
**Marisa: **"Belongings of yours? Well I figured that an outsider like you would have some kind of belongings, but I didn't know you had that much. All I know about your inventory is that you have a nice book here. The thing is, though, it's not anything about spells. It sounds like a boring history book to me."  
**Reinhardt: **"Don't you dare mock The Word of God! Maybe you could learn a few things from reading it."  
**Marisa: **"Oh, this is the first time anyone's actually offered me a book. And also, Word of God? I'd take it, but it's too boring for my tastes."  
**Reinhardt: **"If only you understood the Power that it holds if you obey Its words, but I'll be taking it back now."  
**Marisa: **"Have it back, I don't care, really. Will that be all, Mr. Impaling Hairstyle?"  
**Reinhardt: **"No, I have more questions to ask. Actually, one. Where's Alice?"  
**Marisa: **"Oh, you mean _my _best friend? I'm not sure where she could possibly be, but when she sent that shrine maiden over to investigate me, she got a little bit of a 'return to sender' notice after I got _beat up_ and explained to Reimu that Alice was the one who kept you with her. I didn't realize this until after I went out with Alice the next day, but at that point, we were both supposedly home until I checked up on your little 'girlfriend' to find that she wasn't home."  
**Reinhardt: **"But **where is she? **Tell me and I won't shoot you in the head."  
**Marisa: **"Go ahead, be my guest! I'm a veteran when it comes to dodging danmaku." She got out her Mini-Hakkero, a weapon that is said to be able to Shoop-da-Whoop somebody into the next dimension _and_ the next week.  
**Reinhardt: **"I'm warning you, though. This is no danmaku weapon. This is a legitimate rifle engineered by the Soviets to murder people from almost a mile away. You cannot dodge these brass spears of death once the weapon is aimed at you and fired."  
**Marisa: **"You must be bluffing."

She began to charge her Master Spark, but I ended up shooting it out of her hand and blowing a giant hole through her roof when the laser fired upward out of the Mini-Hakkero and blasted itself downward into her floorboards. She was left speechless as her weapon seemed to start malfunctioning with the telltale blue electricity and smoke emanating from it. She seemed rather surprised and could've been paralyzed by the loud bang from my rifle. She didn't have any wounds besides falling on the floor, so at least I didn't kill her or severely wound her.

**Reinhardt: **"Get up and answer me! I only aimed at your own weapon, so you're not dead. Now where's Alice?"  
**Marisa: **"I-I-I... I don't know! There was no trace of where she could've possibly gone. I won't steal your things again!"  
**Reinhardt: **"Good."

She trembled endlessly with severe nervousness in her voice now. I somehow enjoyed this, but I knew that was wrong! I don't want to become a Yuuka Kazami, but aside from interrogating the neighbor, I had to search for Alice and a way to clear my _Wanted_ status from the majority of Gensokyo, but I knew that would be hard, considering that I'm everywhere according to this witch. I left Marisa's house and headed back to Alice's house. I figured that I would need help from the media in order to turn the public's opinion. Then I remembered about Aya Shameimaru. Of course! I could get her help to spread issues about me being an innocent man. Not that I've committed any actual crime here in Gensokyo. Come to think of it, I don't think contrabanding has any known law against it and Aya must be the one _worsening _my reputation. I would need something else to help me. I've heard of this other newspaper that is more honest than the Bunbunmaru, but it's somewhat less popular and I doubt I'd be able to find its publisher, so for now I'll have to stay at Alice's house. Hopefully the dolls know how to go about doing tasks while Alice is MIA. I'll get back with Yuugi to talk about the new situation later. For now, I'll stay at Alice's even though she isn't around to be the hospitable and providing hostess that she's happy to be. I hope she's safe. Lord help her.


	11. Ch 11: The Voice of Truth

I awakened in the unhosted house of my favorite dollmaker with the dolls roaming around yet again for their master, but she was nowhere to be found. I only smelled some slight burning coming from the kitchen. I quickly splashed some water on my face, wrapped my jacket around my shirtless body and rushed to the kitchen. I saw a few dolls scatter around as some smoke was rising from the pan on the stove. I told a doll to get some water quickly as I took the pan and put it into the sink. A doll came with a bucket of water and gave it to me so I could extinguish the stove and the pan. Crisis averted. It seems that the dolls can't completely function well without Alice around. I told them to take a break as I scavenged Alice's pantry to put something together. I was a bit surprised that I could simply command the dolls as well as Alice could. Perhaps she told the dolls to follow my commands while she was gone as a precaution, and for good reason too. I made myself a bowl of oatmeal and started to eat when I heard someone knocking at the door. I left my half-eaten bowl at the table and approached the front door to find just the woman I was needing. She seemed to be a Tengu, but not quite in the likeness of Aya. She had a purple Tengu's hat and purple and black checkered skirt. Maybe her skirt had some missing textures (haha, game humor). She also had brown hair and eyes and a pair of wings on her back. I think I may know of her, but I'm not quite sure.

**?: **"Is Alice here? I have an issue of Kakashi Spirit News for her." Ah yes, the author of the other newspaper, Hatate Himekaidou!  
**Reinhardt: **"Ah, no. Sorry. She's gone missing and I was a guest of hers. I don't know where she is, but it seems like you're just the woman I need to see."  
**Hatate: **"She isn't? That's strange. She's usually home in the mornings. Also, what do you need me for?"  
**Reinhardt: **"It's a bit of a long story, do you mind coming in?"  
**Hatate: **"No, I don't mind. I could probably use a story or two for the newspaper."  
**Reinhardt: **"Thanks. I'll make everything clear about myself, so don't worry."

I began telling Hatate about how I came to Gensokyo recently and told her about my run-in with the higher-ups like Yukari and Reimu and my status as some kind of fugitive. I noticed her taking notes, so I told her I was wrongly accused for such a crime as contraband. Her eyes lit up as I told her all about my little adventure in Gensokyo, running from a shrine maiden and training under an Oni of the Great Four of the Mountain, along with the time I was double-crossed at the Scarlet Devil Mansion. She didn't mind at all being told this huge story and told me she might even feature it in her newspaper.

**Hatate: **"This is great! Now I have an amazing scoop that'll no doubt beat Aya's Bunbunmaru newspaper. Thank you, Mr. Reinhardt. Do you mind if I take a picture of you for the newspaper?" This was when I realized I was still in my sweatpants and jacket.  
**Reinhardt: **"Um, hold on. Lemme get dressed first."  
**Hatate: **"Alright. This will be historical."

I then came out of my room with my cargo pants, button-up shirt, belt, hooded jacket and boots... not exactly in that order. Hatate got out her... phone? Well I guess the kappa found her a phone from the myriad of outside world things that come out of thin air, seemingly. Aside from the sudden technology jump, she readied the camera in the flip-phone and took a few pictures of me.

**Hatate: **"Thank you again for giving me this opportunity to make my newspaper bigger. So what was that you needed from me?"  
**Reinhardt: **"I need you to spread the word of my innocence to the people of Gensokyo, and while you're at it, could you tear down the posters of me involving the words _Wanted _and _Dead or Alive_? I would appreciate it."  
**Hatate: **"Sure. Absolutely. Anything to get the truth out there."  
**Reinhardt: **"Danke sehr, meine freunde."  
**Hatate: **"What?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Much appreciated, my friend."  
**Hatate: **"Oh, no problem! I'll be off, then. I have more newspapers to deliver."  
**Reinhardt: **"Auf Wiedersehen!"  
I watched as Hatate flew off with the power of the truth from my lips to her papers. I prayed to God that the Truth would be put out there for people to see that I am an innocent man. I proceeded to prepare myself for the day, finding my bowl of oatmeal to be gone. The dolls must've taken it, thinking I was done. Crap. Well, I continued to do what I'd do every normal morning and told the dolls to watch the house while I was gone. I guess this must be what it's like to have an army of dolls at your disposal. I headed down the road toward where I last saw Yuugi. Sure enough, I came across her as she was heading for Alice's House.

**Yuugi: **"Oh, Reinhardt! I was just on my way to see you. How were things with your girlfriend?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Well Yuugi, that's the problem..."  
**Yuugi: **"What, did she break up with you? C'mon, I'll have a word with her."  
**Reinhardt: **"No, that's not it. I'm sure she still loves me, but the problem is she's gone. I don't know where she is and there's no trace of her. I interrogated Marisa about her while also blowing a huge hole through the witch's roof, but not even she knows."  
**Yuugi: **"Wait, so Alice is _missing_? Where in Gensokyo could she possibly have gone to?"  
**Reinhardt: **"It would help if I knew exactly, but I can only guess that she's at the Scarlet Devil Mansion. I told her to go there if I didn't come back from my little 'visit' to drop off Patchouli's missing books. What I would really like to know is why she still may be there."  
**Yuugi: **"Well let's not waste any time. If we get there before sunset, we still have a bit of an advantage, given that we might have to deal with that vampire."  
**Reinhardt: **"There's also another thing that happened this morning. Good news, I assure you. Hatate Himekaidou from the Kakashi Spirit Newspaper came by with an issue for Alice, but since she wasn't there, I took the opportunity to have an interview with her and tell her my whole story about being here. She said that she will publish the story and help clear my falsely tainted name."  
**Yuugi: **"That's awesome. So now we won't have to worry about the public being against you any longer. Now we just have to settle this score with Yukari so she'll stop bothering you. Don't worry. I can take care of her for you."  
**Reinhardt: **"Thanks, but first we have to find Alice."

Yuugi and I continued down the road toward the big red death house for humans and elegant castle for vampires. Currently housing: Two. One aristocrat and one mentally defective child. It seems harsh to call them that, but Remilia really boils my blood inside of me when I think of her. However, she would rather have my blood served cold. I'll serve hers to the walls of her own mansion and give it a new paint-job with it. I really shouldn't be thinking about violence, especially with murderous intent, but I bet she can handle it, being a superhuman-like vampire. Actually, I think I might bake her in the sun instead. I like my steak well done instead of medium rare. Lord, forgive me of my violent thoughts. I have learned well enough in the past that I shouldn't take matters into my own hands, so will you fight my battles for me? You have for Israel and so I believe that you shall today.


	12. Ch 12: Hardware Update

Yuugi and I headed down the road from where we met and went around the Human Village to avoid any unnecessary panic, seeing that our party consists of one Oni and one "criminal" outsider. Soon, though, I won't have to hide from anybody. Soon I can clear my reputation and the people of Gensokyo will accept me for who I am, the same way Alice and Yuugi accepted me. Suddenly, in the middle of the road in between the village and the SDM, Yuugi stopped me to tell me something.

**Yuugi: **"Reinhardt, something just occurred to me. How in Hakugyokurou will you be able to protect yourself if we ever get separated or if Yukari gaps one of us away somewhere? And what exactly does that wierd staff thing of yours do?" She must've been referring to my Mosin Nagant rifle.  
**Reinhardt: **"Well first off, it's not a staff. It's what outside world people call a rifle. These complicated tools were made to kill people, not fight them. Also, I have a knife but I only know how to either kill people with it or severely injure them. Severely injuring someone will only make them rather ill-willed toward me and I don't want any of that to happen. That will only make people want to kill me for a _real _reason."  
**Yuugi: **"Hmm... yeah, I guess that would be bad."  
**Reinhardt: **"You _guess_? It _is _bad without a doubt!"  
**Yuugi: **"Hey, calm down there. I'm the one that's going to be your main source of protection here, remember? Anyways, lemme think a bit... Ah! I got an idea. I know of a kappa that has all sorts of useful gadgets! I remember when I made a bet with her some time ago. Long story short, I won and she owes me so I'm figuring whatever she has can help you out."  
**Reinhardt: **"I hope it's not anything magic-related. I have certain beliefs in place that completely forbids magic."  
**Yuugi: **"Well maybe you should've rethought your idea of a Utopia when discovering about this place. But it's too late for that. I think she has some kind of technology that you can get familiar with. She specializes in that kind of stuff. Lots of people except for the kappa still don't understand some of it, but I'm sure with your Outside World Intuition you can quickly understand everything about it."  
**Reinhardt: **"Well it's true that I love technology, especially electronics. And another thing, many modern-day Assassins, if there are still any out there, are mostly computer hackers including the current well-known hacker group, Anonymous. They'd be lucky to have someone with real weapons as an assassin, but nobody even knows for sure if they truly exist anymore. That's why the world has fallen into darkness morally and spiritually."  
**Yuugi: **"Well we have plenty of time for story-telling when we clear your name. C'mon, we're burning daylight, not vampires. Not yet, at least."

I followed Yuugi down the road and into a thick forest seemingly full of Youkai running and flying around. Many of them tried to challenge us, but Yuugi told them to step aside since we had little time to spare before sunset. Perhaps since my companion is a powerful Oni that explains why many of the Youkai stepped aside. Any who were stubborn and foolish enough to ignore the demand were simply punched in the face and sent flying. I would like to remind myself not to argue with Yuugi too much. We soon approached a river with some sort of shack built next to it. From the looks of it, this must've been the kappa's living quarters because not only did I see several knick-knacks and pieces of familiar modern technology, but I also saw a working homemade waterwheel connected to some kind of generator. We approached the shack's front door with an installed homemade doorbell that I decided to ring. I heard chimes ring from inside as well as many other technical sounds from the electronics the kappa must've had in the shack, including a radio, apparently. To my surprise, a girl with a cyan blue dress, blue hair, and green hat opened the door. She couldn't have been anyone else other than...

**Nitori: **"Welcome to Nitori Kawashiro's hardware stall, how may I help you? Oh, Yuugi! How nice to see you up here on the surface! Did you need something? Can I offer you some exercise weights? I can't seem to get rid of th-"  
**Yuugi: **"I'm not interested in any of your wares today, Nitori. Remember when you lost that bet with me about a month back?"  
**Nitori: **"Darn, I hoped you would forget... well yes, I remember." Yuugi gave her a cold glare.  
**Yuugi: **"Well now I'm calling it in and now a friend of mine needs some kind of weapon that doesn't involve magic or the potential to kill." Nitori had a nervous look on her.  
**Nitori: **"Um... well something like that would be hard to come by, but I'm sure I have the parts capable of making such a weapon. Come on in, I can show you what I have."

We slowly entered Nitori's home cluttered with a mess of different things that include many things from where I come from, including a semi-functional lightbulb hanging above on the slightly low ceiling. Inside, I saw all sorts of electronics and machine parts that lit my eyes up immediately. I even saw a few parts and knick-knacks that I wasn't familiar with that I was already curious about. I was entirely tempted to get my hands on all of them and examine them to find out what they're capable of. The only problem was to find somewhere to step in this entire mess.

**Nitori: **"I can tell that you like the technology of the outside world. So what's your name?"  
**Reinhardt: **"I'm Reinhardt David Torres. Call me Reinhardt. And yes, I absolutely love technology. I was basically born with it."  
**Nitori: **"Wow, so you must be from the outside world, right uh, Reinhardt is it? Neat! You should tell me all about the cool stuff you have there!"  
**Yuugi: **"But first, you need to craft him a weapon to protect himself with."  
**Reinhardt: **"No magic or anything deadly please. I'm already in 'trouble' with the higher-ups as is. Also, try not to tell everyone about that. I'm actually an innocent man."  
**Nitori: **"No problem. Let me just dig around for a few parts that might work. I was actually working on something that fits the description pretty well. Maybe you can help me."

Nitori and I scavenged for the necessary crafting materials inside her home as Yuugi stepped outside to watch for anyone coming by. It took a bit of digging through to find some things that seemed to work perfectly together. As we were searching, Nitori talked about all sorts of things about the kappa and Gensokyo relating to her life. In return, I told her all about my world. It gave off a more bleak atmosphere than her stories, but she understood me somehow and we quickly got along as we shared many things to each other about technology. She got out a roll of duct tape from her backpack that she set down next to a sheet-metal wall. The ultimate redneck tool and aid helped put together what was coming together as some sort of crossbow crossed with a tazer with an attached grappling hook. Don't ask how the heck it would work, but she took me outside to test it out. We did a bit of target practice around the forest surrounding us, shooting several things in sight. It worked! I loved it so much, I decided to give Nitori a hug, but she seemed rather uncomfortable with it, so I decided to back off a bit. She is very shy, so I'd understand why, but she also seemed to be blushing.

**Yuugi: **"Alright, I think that's been enough time we've wasted. The sun's already heading west, it seems. Ready, Reinhardt?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Yeah. I got everything set. Thanks, Nitori. You're really nice for helping me like this."  
**Nitori: **"Well it was part of a bet, but you're welcome here anytime. It's just that this is a place for Youkai, so you might want to be careful. I might visit you instead, given the danger level here."  
**Yuugi: **"Well, we should get going. We have a vampire and a certain old Youkai to talk to. I guess this makes us even now. Take care."  
**Nitori: **"You too."

I've always enjoyed being around nice people like her it seems, but who wouldn't besides the spiteful type of people? We hiked through the forest along the river and ended up at a large lake. Across from the lake was the ever-so-dreadful windowless red estate that everyone calls the Scarlet Devil Mansion. It was only a matter of time before I could set things straight once and for all while finding my first and kindest friend I've had since I entered Gensokyo. My favorite doll maker, Alice Margatroid. I started to worry about her, but Yuugi assured me that I would reunite with her. As we walked around the lake with the afternoon sun shining down on us, I asked God to give me all the strength I would need to make it through what was about to come once I stepped inside that mansion. I also asked Him to protect Alice whatever situation she may be in, for I have faith that nothing shall move against me as long as I had Jesus on my side.


	13. Ch 13: Washed in Crimson

I looked upon the massive and grimly red mansion that stood before me and my friend, Yuugi that was ever so familiarly dreadful to me. I thought about the high risk of my life if I decided to go here, but I knew it was the only way I'd find my friend Alice. If Yukari ever decided to pop up here, then I could deal with her and clear my name as soon as possible. Yuugi was strong enough to fight both Remilia and Yukari if needed and I was smart and well-armed enough to hold my own against anyone else thanks to my new weapon that Nitori and I made together. If that wasn't enough, hopefully I could reason with these people. We were about to circle around to the front gate when another solution came to mind.

**Reinhardt: **"Hey Yuugi, wait! I have a better plan."  
**Yuugi: **"What could that possibly be?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Well it occurred to me that we shouldn't waste any time so I thought that we should sneak in from the back door instead of going in from the front so we could avoid as much conflict as possible."  
**Yuugi: **"Why in Hakugyokurou should we do that? I see that as a coward's move and a thief's plan! Didn't I teach you better?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Well I'm no coward and certainly not a thief-"  
**Yuugi: **"So what's the problem then?"  
**Reinhardt: **"I just think it's much quicker to avoid unnecessary conflict. I'm not much of a fighter anyways. I only fight when it's for survival and I try to avoid it when I can't handle it. Remember, my life is at risk in a world like this with me being human, but I refuse to go back to the corrupt and rotting world outside of the border where I would die slowly starving or from some toxic air pollution."  
**Yuugi: **"...Well I guess you have a point. Come on then before the sun goes down."

I then realized it's mid-to-late afternoon, so we climbed over the wall to find ourselves looking over a courtyard with hedges, flowers, and a fountain in the middle. We jumped down into the courtyard just as a fairy maid was coming out from the back door probably to tend to the garden while Hong Meiling was keeping the gate. She was a bit surprised at our arrival and instantly flew our way to shoot some danmaku at us. I took cover behind a hedge as Yuugi dodged the small line of shots to shoot her own at the fairy, instantly knocking her a bit unconscious against the red brick wall of the mansion. I felt a bit sorry for her, being only a simple little footsoldier in the red army, but Yuugi continued into the mansion and I followed right behind her.

**Yuugi: **"Y'know, what you did back there was a bit cowardly of you."  
**Reinhardt: **"I'll have you know that in the military, soldiers wouldn't think _twice_ about hiding behind cover to protect themselves from bullet-fire. Of course, the reason for that is because the bullets in the outside world are too fast to dodge and actually _kill _people, so there is perfectly good reason to hide behind cover when bullets are about to be fired."  
**Yuugi: **"What a twisted world you live in."  
**Reinhardt: **"I would say the same about yours."

We continued through the hallways through the elaborately large mansion and continued to fight through small waves of unexpecting fairy maids. While Yuugi exhibited her traditional danmaku firing and dodging techniques, I demonstrated my military-like aim-and-shoot paired with my hiding behind cover. My new weapon proved to be an amazingly important asset in my arsenal, but butt jokes aside, the shots seemed to stun the maids in place before they fell to the ground. I took the time to check their pulse when we weren't in an encounter. I got a slight jab of electricity upon touch, but their pulses were fine so I had nothing to worry about the deadly factor in my Kappa's Tazer. Yes, Kappa's Tazer. That's what I decided to call Nitori's and my new invention. Yuugi questioned it a bit, but it didn't really matter. We eventually reached a big hall and found ourselves standing before the scarlet devil herself with her top servant by her side.

**Reinhardt: **"Surprise surprise, didn't think you'd see my handsome face again, huh?"  
**Remilia: **"I was a bit disappointed at Yukari when she took away what would be my most _delicious_ meal."  
**Reinhardt: **"Why I'm flattered, m'lady. You're too kind."  
**Remilia: **"Thank you. You know what. I was a rather rude hostess for my honored guest. No wonder you wanted to leave. I never offered you any dinner when you arrived. I bet you were starved by the time you came to my gates. You looked so skinny when I first met you. Now you're beefier. Yuugi, you did a good job feeding him for me."  
**Yuugi: **"I didn't do it for you, I did it so he would be stronger! So he could stand up to people like you!"  
**Remilia: **"Oh, so we're getting hostile now? Would you dare fight me?"  
**Yuugi: **"I would have no problem with it."  
**Reinhardt: **"I think you're all lunatics."  
**Remilia: **"Reinhardt, I thought you would be more gentlemanly than that. I thought I was 'too kind'. I was going to offer you dinner."  
**Reinhardt: **"You were going to have _me _for dinner! Now that _isn't_ rather nice of you."  
**Remilia: **"Well what would a vampire have to eat? I am not going to starve like you would have."  
**Yuugi: **"Enough of this chat! We came here to find Reinhardt's friend, Alice! Where is she?"  
**Remilia: **"How rude of you! Reinhardt and I were having a rather deep conversation, and just for that, I don't think I want to tell the likes of you."

With Yuugi and Remilia speaking those words, I already began to see balls of energy of various colors, shapes, and sizes fly about the room. We were in a rather open space being in this big main hall, so I was forced to either attempt dodging the bullets or make a run for a column that stood among a row to hold up the architecture of the room and a walkway on the second floor above circling the edge of the room. As I took cover behind the pillar while the oni and the vampire dueled, Sakuya, who I almost forgot was there with us due to her silence, flanked me, coming out from the flying bullets under the second floor walkway where I was to block any attempted escape. My heart just about jumped as I had nowhere else to go. Sakuya flashed in front of me (with her time-manipulating ability) and grabbed me.

**Sakuya: **"You're not going anywhere, Torres-san. You're coming with me while The Mistress is busy."

In an instant blur, I was taken to some kind of meat locker. It looked like it came directly from some horror scene. The place itself stenched with the smell of blood and flesh. I saw men hanging on meat hooks chained to the ceiling with tons of blood splattered everywhere. I saw where knives punctured the flesh and noticed that the genitalia were all cut off, leaving big bloody spots where they would be. I couldn't stand this place already, even with only being in here for a few seconds.

My head was pounding endlessly and Sakuya made it no better after she threw me toward a wall while getting out a knife and her pocket watch. I used this window of opportunity to get out my survival knife and slice her wrist of the hand that held the pocket watch, thinking that it was the the object that allowed her to stop and slow down time. Thank God that was the case. She yelled a bit in pain and proceeded to slash at me with her knife. I countered the attack and seemingly by instinct, I aimed for her throat. I completely forgot that I shouldn't _kill _anybody, but luckily, she dodged my swing to cut my cheek in return. I held the pain in while I aimed to disable the hand that held her knife, but she avoided the attempt to stab me in the arm near my right shoulder. I did my best not to scream so I wouldn't show weakness, but I succumbed to the pain and fell to the ground. I did my best to hold my blood in with the knife still in my arm, but I was at my knees before the one with the upper blade and all I could do was pray to God and ask for mercy.

**Sakuya: **"I saw the way you wielded your knife. You swung it like a beast does its claws. Have you no proper etiquette even in fighting?" With all the strength I had to live, I could still speak.  
**Reinhardt: **"You're more of a monster than I am. You kill your own kind to serve a devil you call a mistress! I would only kill if either my life or the lives of those I love were in jeopardy. You kill for a living." My voice was rough, but it still worked.  
**Sakuya: **"Well in the beginning, I didn't exactly ask for this. I was at the mercy of my mistress just like you are at the mercy of me. I serve her because she chose to spare my life, even when I tried to end hers. Even if I wanted to leave, I would just be ruining my own life with nowhere else to go. Nothing to eat and nowhere to stay. The mistress would be very unhappy with my leave if I were to do such a thing. I have no other choice, so please don't take this personally."  
**Reinhardt: **"I understand, but there is much to be had for a free man. In case you haven't heard of Him, there's a certain Man Who, long ago, suffered and died, knowing that if He did, my sins would be no more and I could live a free life, not having to worry about any dangers that would surround me. Another thing about This particular Man, when He died, He rose from the grave alive three days after suffering the most pain-staking torture and death in history because He was The Son of God, sent down in human flesh to teach us and save us from an eternity in hell. This Man's Name is Jesus Christ. Have you heard of Him?"  
**Sakuya: **"I've heard of very few tales of such a Man, but I don't believe in God."  
**Reinhardt: **"Then perhaps I could tell you of His Wonders so that you could live life more freely and abundantly. Maybe Remilia could be saved and maybe she could even step into the light without having to be burned. If only you could take a leap of Faith like I did. I serve The Lord with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and He protects me and provides for me and most of all, loves me better than a father would love his son."

For some reason, Sakuya was speechless. I wouldn't blame her, but she started to back up and turn around to leave the meat locker and me to bleed while she held her cut wrist to prevent further bleeding on her behalf. I could almost hear sniffling somehow as she was walking out. So here I am, abandoned again in a sudden change of scenery. Only this time the only thing that would hold me back is the wound I have in my arm, but all I could think of was The Lord's Mercy upon me. Lord, bless Sakuya for her act of mercy like the act of Mercy you bestowed upon me. I was washed in a different kind of Blood when You saved me, the wreck I was when You found my soul. Now I would need to get back up and find Alice while Yuugi occupied Remilia's time.


	14. Ch 14: A Nameless Servant

When I got up from the drippings of blood, my attacker was nowhere to be found and it seemed that I was alone here. I got up with a bit of pain shooting through my arm with the knife still in it. I wasn't quite sure, but it seemed that the knife must've hit into my bones, which would be much worse for the situation I'm in already. With all the strength I had, I got myself up, picked up my knife and other belongings that were cast aside by Sakuya, and headed out of the meat locker, which reeked of the death of men like me. I was wandering the hallways of the mansion when I heard small wings fluttering and a girl humming and singing some kind of tune, so I made my way toward the girl that was making a melody and found one of the fairy maids dusting off some furniture in a room. The maid herself had natural shortish red hair with light brown eyes and was in a plain light blue maid's outfit.

**Reinhardt: **"Excuse me, Miss. Could you please help me out?" She was somewhat suddenly startled by my presence and my injury.  
**Fairy Maid: **"Oh goodness! How could this have happened? Do you need help, sir?"

It seems that the fairy maids still only recognize me as their guest since I spent most of my time in the skirmishes hiding behind cover and since Yuugi stood out more than I did. I would need to convince her that I'm on her side.

**Reinhardt: **"For some reason, a maid attacked me and I ended up getting stabbed in the arm. I don't know why she would do such a thing, but I seriously need some help with this knife." It was not too far from the truth, but manipulative nonetheless.  
**Fairy Maid: **"Of course, immediately! Please follow me, sir."  
**Reinhardt: **"You can call me Reinhardt if you want."  
**Fairy Maid: **"Very well, Mr. Reinhardt. The medical supplies must be close to here. Don't worry, I'll be able to patch up that wound of yours, I hope."

Something tells me that the fairy maids don't have much first aid training, but like she said, I can only hope she can take care of me. We soon arrived at what seems to be a little clinic turned from a spare bedroom. The fairy maid opened the closet, which held the medical supplies as she told me to sit down on a chair next to a small tea table. She got out a jar of cotton balls, a glass bottle of clear liquid, which I could only guess was either alcohol or hydrogen peroxide, and a bandage wrap. She then attempted to slowly, but surely pull out the knife, which I had to grit my teeth for and I nearly yelled when she pulled it out, but it was taken care of when she applied the alcohol and quickly wrapped my upper arm up with a bandage and tied it up.

**Fairy Maid: **"Okay, everything's going to be all right now. I hope you don't get hurt again."  
**Reinhardt: **"Thank you so much, um, might I ask for your name, Miss?" She then was absolutely flustered and confused.  
**Reinhardt: **"Is everything alright, Miss?"  
**Fairy Maid: **"Please forgive me, but it seems that... I don't have a name. Lowly servants like us fairy maids don't have names or have long since forgotten them." She seemed rather embarrassed about the matter.  
**Reinhardt: **"Well then how about I give you one? I'm good with coming up with names." Her eyes lit up at what I have just said.  
**Fairy Maid: **"Really? That would be amazing! What would it be?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Hmm, how about... **Melody **?"  
**Melody: **"It's a beautiful name! I love it! I have to tell my other fellow maids about this! But first, I want to know how you came up with it."  
**Reinhardt: **"Well, okay. When I came by the room you were dusting, you were singing this tune like a little song or something, so I thought about that and I decided to give you the name Melody."  
**Melody: **"That's so clever! You must be very smart. Also I really do enjoy music. I was humming a tune I heard the Prismriver Sisters play at a party we had in the mansion."  
**Reinhardt: **"A party, huh?"  
**Melody: **"Yeah, the mistress enjoys hosting parties here and invites lots of people too. We even have the Prismriver Sisters here. They're a famous musical group that plays music with their instruments."  
**Reinhardt: **"Oh yeah, I've heard of them. They seem to be rather famous and like to play music for everyone to hear, even if it's not the smoothest, but I guess everyone has their own style."  
**Melody: **"Yeah, well you're alright now, now that I patched up that injury of yours?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Yes, thank you so much, Miss Melody. I haven't had anything to eat lately, though."  
**Melody: **"Oh my! Well then let me fix you something from the kitchen real quick. Sakuya usually does the cooking, but I know a bit too. C'mon, let's go to the kitchen."

We headed down to the kitchen and Melody looked through the pantry, but apparently, most of the food supplies is saved for parties and dinner for the residents of the mansion. she found a cup of instant ramen, however, and put some water on the stove to heat up for it. When I ate, she seemed to enjoy watching me for some unknown reason. I guess she prides herself in knowing that she's helping people and being useful.

**Reinhardt: **"Thank you so much for everything, Melody. I appreciate your kindness very much. I should be off now. Good day, Miss Melody."  
**Melody: **"Good day to you too, Reinhardt, sir. I should be getting back to dusting now before Miss Sakuya notices I'm slacking off." It seems that she just enjoys hearing her new name. I see enthusiasm and endless joy in her expression.

As we parted ways, I couldn't help but notice how joyful Melody was. It seems that if you name a nameless person, they will be in your debt ever so much. I guess I'll keep that in mind. Now I have to find Yuugi again and see if things have been settled between her and Remilia. It took me a while after searching the hallways for the main hall, but I knew I was close when I heard Danmaku being fired and explosions coming from somewhere. I quickly followed the sound and saw Remilia hovering in the air with her bat wings as Yuugi was getting exhausted on the ground. I quickly ran in to see what exactly was going on.

**Remilia: **"Hahahahaha! You should've stayed inside your little hole in the ground instead of coming here, Miss Oni of the Mountain!"  
**Yuugi: **"You'll find that it's a much better place for the likes of you, considering how _your _kind burn in the sunlight!"  
**Remilia: **"You'd think being underground, _you _would be the one that burns in the molten earth." At this point, Yuugi struggled to get up to fight. Remilia must seriously be powerful to fight an oni like her. I ran in with my Kappa's Tazer before any more damage was dished out on Yuugi.  
**Remilia: **"Ah, Reinhardt! How nice of you to rejoin us, I see Sakuya didn't take too kindly of you leaving again so soon, but she couldn't do much after she took care of you, seeing as her wrist was cut. It started bleeding badly, I was tempted to suck up the blood myself. Maybe you should be more careful next time and you should get in the habit of staying a little while. I don't bite too much. In fact, I have a rather light appetite for blood."  
**Reinhardt: **"No thanks, m'lady. I was just wondering what happened to my friend, Alice. Did she stop by here around last week?"  
**Remilia: **"Well since you're so polite about it, unlike this horned beast over here, Alice stopped by here, looking for you. Maybe you should've stayed so she wouldn't have gone missing after you."  
**Reinhardt: **"Did anything else happen after that, m'lady?"  
**Remilia: **"Well Yukari stopped by again to have a little chat with her and then she was nowhere to be found. Sad, really. I thought since you left the same way, she would end up with you too. I guess I was wrong." I did my best to stay cool and negotiate this through.  
**Reinhardt: **"Where can I find Yukari?"  
**Remilia: **"I truly am sorry, but I would not know the answer to that particular question. Yukari is always going from place to place. If you want to find her, she would have to find you."  
**Reinhardt: **"Well thanks anyways for being reasonable for once, unlike some people in this land." I noticed Yuugi giving us both a nasty look, so I decided to calm her mind.  
**Reinhardt: **"Hey, look Yuugi, I just w-"  
**Yuugi: **"Shut up, I've had enough of a rough time with this vampire here. Apparently I underestimated her, but now you come in just kissing up to her to find out the whereabouts of your girlfriend without even putting up a fight. You could probably tell by now that I'm pissed at you already." It was true, she was _pissed _.  
**Reinhardt: **"Well, I'm sorry, but you don't know how hard it was on my side. I got _stabbed _today and I managed to get one of the fairy maids to patch me up. I think I know how to talk our way out of a situation."  
**Yuugi: **"Fine, but I'm still not happy about you being such a weak little coward that you are."  
**Remilia: **"Are you two quite done chatting over there yet?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Ah yes, m'lady. We were just leaving."  
**Remilia: **"Don't you do that enough?"  
**Yuugi: **"Tell me about it..."  
**Reinhardt: **"I promise I'll come again some time. Have a nice day, Lady Remilia."  
**Remilia: **"Please do."

As I helped Yuugi up and made our way out the front door, I realized that it was actually evening. Time sure flies, doesn't it. Geez. Anyways, we went through the front gate to find that its gatekeeper, Hong Meiling, was taking a nap and Yuugi punched me in the uninjured arm.

**Yuugi: **"I _told _you we should've gone through the front gate. What's the matter with you?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Sorry, it's a habit of mine to be more stealthy."  
**Yuugi: **"You're such a disgrace. I can't believe I trained you."  
**Reinhardt: **"Don't be so disappointed. You haven't seen anything yet. Wait 'til I actually get mad."  
**Yuugi: **"I hope for your sake it would actually please me to see you when you do. Where to next, genius?"  
**Reinhardt: **"I have an idea."


	15. Ch 15: A Light in the Darkness

My one-horned chaotic-good friend of mine and I were walking down a dirt road coming out of the forested area encompassing the SDM after our visit with Remilia, the vampire who did _not _have Alice Margatroid held hostage. Both Yuugi and I were frustrated that we didn't find Alice there, me for Alice, Yuugi for wasted time and effort. At this point, Yuugi was still a bit frustrated because she had to go out of her way to find a person for _me, _who wasn't even there and Yuugi even got beat up in the process. It was then when she decided to ditch any efforts of fighting for me and left for home.

**Reinhardt: **"Hey, wait! Hold on there just for a moment!"  
**Yuugi: **"Why should I? Why should I be listening to a small human such as yourself to do something only for _your own _sake when I could be doing something for _myself _, huh? I could be drinking sake right now, but I haven't since I forgot it at home, but we made an agreement underground and you met the requirements for the deal, so really, I don't have to be here for you. I only came along because I would hate to see my time and effort going into training you be wasted, but apparently you already know how to handle yourself with all of your running and hiding, like the weak little _coward _you are. You outsider humans are all the same, aren't you?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Oh, so you're being racist now? What if I told you that all you Youkai are completely selfish and heartless demons? How would you feel?"  
**Yuugi: **"Well, that's actually what we are. After all, Oni are demons. We all like to live our own individual lives because that's easier and we have no problems with it whatsoever. So whatever you have to throw at me, whether it be words or a punch, it doesn't affect me. And you're just a simple human who has no power but to run and hide. I'm still not entirely convinced that you can do much with that... _rifle _of yours."  
**Reinhardt: **"You may choose to ignore it now, but someday you'll realize that your words only darken your heart more, and a dark heart has no favor with God. I don't know if you've heard of Him, but I suggest you look into talking to Him a bit. He can teach you a thing or two that your soul needs."

She only responded with a stern look and stubborn silence. Then she walked off without me. I figured it was a bad idea to try and reason with her again. She's an Oni after all. It was getting rather dark now. I couldn't even see the moon in the sky. At this point, I actually had a bit of fear inside me, but I did my best to continue on the path that was getting harder and harder to see. I decided to get my flashlight out when a little girl with blonde hair and a black dress startled me and made me drop my flashlight before I could turn it on. She had a devious little smile on her face. It appeared that the one with the rifle is game for even the smallest of youkai like Rumia, the youkai of darkness.

**Rumia: **"Oh wonderful! A human! Now I have dinner for tonight!"  
**Reinhardt: **"Hold on there. I don't think you should eat me."  
**Rumia: **"Why not. It's not very often that humans from the outside world wander here, but when they do they're all eaten up quickly. They mostly go to that mansion over there. Bigger Youkai are very scary, so they usually get all the good humans. Youkai like me can't seem to find any good edible humans that often, but now that you're alone, I don't have to worry about that."  
**Reinhardt: **"Well I'm not exactly your average human. In the outside world, they have lots of strange chemicals and they seem to have found a way into our systems, so we're really not that healthy for you. You could get sick and maybe die."  
**Rumia: **"Youkai don't get sick like humans do, but if you don't want to be eaten, I suppose you could make good target practice. Some people say that I'm bad at shooting danmaku." She then spread her arms out like on a Cross.  
**Reinhardt: **"Now shooting people isn't very nice. Also, how come you spread your arms like that?"  
**Rumia: **"Doesn't it look like 'The Saint was Crucified'?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Well actually it does, but you shouldn't be using That Symbol like that. Do you even know what That means?Do you know Who that saint is?" She then had a flustered expression on her face.  
**Rumia: **"Umm... well... I think. He's uh..."  
**Reinhardt: **"You mean you really don't know. Do you want me to teach you about Him?"  
**Rumia: **"...Yes please." She had her head down in slight humiliation. I crouched down to her level.  
**Reinhardt: **"Well there's no reason to be embarrassed. His Name is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. He was crucified so we wouldn't have to live in sin and darkness as long as we ask for forgiveness and believe in Him. Jesus also taught people that we shouldn't dwell in darkness."  
**Rumia: **"But when I look at light, it blinds me. It's too bright!"  
**Reinhardt: **"Have you considered asking Christ for forgiveness of your sins, child?"  
**Rumia: **"Umm, no. How do you know so much about The Saint Who was crucified?"  
**Reinhardt: **"He told me Himself through His Word, The Bible. There are many lessons to be learned from His Word. If you want, I can read The Bible to you."  
**Rumia: **"Does that mean that I can't eat you?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Sadly no, but you should come with me if you want to learn more. There are many things you can do through Christ who strengthens us, including being able to look in the light. You don't have to walk in darkness anymore." Her eyes surprisingly lit up when I said that.  
**Rumia: **"_ Really? _"  
**Reinhardt: **"Yeah. Do you want to follow me?"  
**Rumia: **"Sure! But there's something wrong."  
**Reinhardt: **"What is it?"  
**Rumia: **"Well, I'm still a bit hungry and you've been standing here this whole time in front of me..." That was a tough problem to fix.  
**Reinhardt: **"Hmm, well I don't have any food on me... well how about you gnaw on my arm for a bit. It lost some blood anyways, so I don't think I'd feel much, as long as you don't bite off any of my flesh please." I rolled up my sleeve, thinking about how stupid this idea is.  
**Rumia: **"I won't. I promise."

She then was quick to hug and chomp down on my right arm. It was a bit painful, but I knew it could ward off other youkai that would try to attack me. Thankfully any blood that drained from the arm was immediately sucked up by my little leech friend. It's a rather unhealthy relationship, but it was better than being alone. I could use the little help I could get for when I encounter Yukari next, which I suspected I could find at the Hakurei Shrine.

I picked up my flashlight and we cut through the forest and the plain toward the Hakurei Shrine since now I have some slightly efficient youkai repellant, realizing that I would probably be tired out by the time we got there, so I decided to head back to Alice's house. I hope she doesn't mind me keeping a wild youkai in her home for a night or two. She would do the same thing, after all. When we eventually made it to Alice's house, the dolls instantly saw us and pointed small lances and swords at Rumia. I told them to stand down and put away their weapons as we entered inside.

**Rumia: **"Wow, I thought somebody else controls dolls. She lives here too, I think."  
**Reinhardt: **"Well that is true, but apparently my friend, the dolls' maker and owner, gave me some command over her dolls while she's gone. Well, when I say gone, I mean that she went missing some time ago. Now I have to look over her house until I find her. I need some help too."  
**Rumia: **"Ooh, can I help you find your friend?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Sure. But for now, I think we should get some rest. You can stay here for a bit if you want. You can sleep in Alice's bedroom."  
**Rumia: **"Thanks, mister..."  
**Reinhardt: **"Call me Reinhardt."  
**Rumia: **"Oh, thanks Reinhardt! I'm Rumia, nice to eat yo- I mean meet you."

I must admit, the mannerisms of a small youkai like Rumia were humorously childish, but she was still kindly mannered. We had the dolls fix us something to eat and I helped out, taking into consideration the last time they tried to cook without Alice's presence to order them efficiently. She didn't have an appetite for any of my arm that was left thanks to the meal we had. I quickly wrapped up the bite mark that Rumia left deeply into my skin. Thank God that she didn't decide to rip a chunk of it off. She could've bitten down to the bone. Later that night, when Rumia decided to go to bed, I got my Bible and read her a few passages in The New Testament, starting with the Book of St. Luke and together we prayed _"Our Father Who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done, In Heaven as it is on Earth. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us, Lord, our trespasses, for we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. May the Power and Glory be Yours forever and ever. Amen." _


	16. Ch 16: Showdown

The morning after my rather trialing day came rather quickly and I wouldn't have been able to wake up if it weren't for Rumia and her taste for my arm. Only this time, she decided to chomp down on my left arm. She didn't tear any flesh or skin off, only left a big bite mark with youkai saliva on it. She seemed to be waiting on me to get up and was excited when I did. I guess youkai don't sleep much, but at least she stopped nibbling on me.

**Rumia: **"Reinhardt, you're up! I got a bit bored sitting in bed all night, so I got up and walked around the house. The dolls didn't really like me doing that, but dolls are nasty so I left them alone. So instead I decided to come to your room, but you were asleep and your arm was hanging out and I got a bit hungry... sorry if I hurt you." I was still half asleep, but she was so energetic like a little child.  
**Reinhardt: **"Agh, it's fine. I should go and get ready anyways. Today's a big day, after all. Hate to miss it."  
**Rumia: **"It is? What are we gonna do? Are we gonna find your friend?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Actually, yeah we are. I'll go get ready and I'll meet you in the kitchen real quick, so wait for me there. Be careful though, don't go breaking anything now."  
**Rumia: **"I won't."

After I got myself fixed up for the day as I always do and equipped all of my gear I would need, including my Mosin Nagant rifle, Natascha, I met Rumia, who was sitting nicely and patiently in the kitchen and helped the dolls fix some breakfast for us. I made some traditional western buttered toast and eggs that I found in Alice's pantry. Rumia enjoyed it, but couldn't help to comment on how it didn't quite match up with the taste of humans. I don't even want to know about how I taste, but she's a youkai and can't help it, I guess. Perhaps I could slowly wean her off of her youkai diet and put her on a diet common to humans instead, but that would require some time, effort, and the sacrifice of my arm to get anywhere with her. After we finished our meal, I made sure I had my stuff together and asked Rumia if she was ready to head over to the Hakurei Shrine with me.

**Rumia: **"Reinhardt, I don't like how the sun's so bright today. I dunno if I can come with you."  
**Reinhardt: **"Hm, wait. I got something for you!"

I went through my bag and found my sunglasses case. I unzipped it and put the shades on Rumia's face and tightened the croakies on the back of her head to keep the sunglasses in place since it was a bit big on her head.

**Rumia: **"Wow, thanks! Now the sun won't be so bright to me and I can still see! I usually make this dark veil around me, but if I do that then I can't see very well and I end up bumping my head on things." I then noticed a slight bruise that she pointed to on her forehead.  
**Reinhardt: **"Oh goodness, well then I guess we should get going now. It looks like it's already noon, or close to it."  
**Rumia: **"Okay!"

I will admit, seeing Rumia with my shades on looks a bit out of place, but it helps her see without getting blinded. Maybe she should see the sunlight more often, then she won't be so blinded by the light. Other than her optical problems, she reminds me a lot of my little sister. So cheerful and nice, only she doesn't gnaw on my arm so much. Rumia seems to be a rather nice person to get along with. She's nice and polite, only whenever she gets a craving for human, I have to give up my arm for her to chew on. It's a bit irritating, but it seems to calm her down and she's very gracious for it.

We arrived at the Shrine's steps and I hauled myself up the long set of stairs while Rumia seemed to glide up them with no problem. I guess not only do youkai have lots of energy, but they seem to be able to fly as well when they want to. She was hovering about a foot off the ground going up the stairs while I could only manage a light jog up the stairs, considering the weight of all my equipment, especially my rifle.

We finally made it to the top and found Reimu Hakurei herself sweeping her porch off when she noticed us and instantly got her rod and yin-yang orbs out and flew toward us with a fierce expression on her face. I knew I couldn't reason with the "guardian of Gensokyo" so I got my Kappa's Taser out and shot at her. Surprisingly, the voltage really stops people short in their tracks. Reimu was momentarily stunned and even dropped her rod weapon. I saw a knob on the side of the taser that could turn up the voltage, so I decided to turn it on high and shot away as Reimu started to get her composure back together. Rumia quickly followed suit and used her own weapon arsenal (spell cards, but I don't quite favor that term) to prevent any escape from the onslaught for the poorly outmatched shrine maiden.

It seemed that she underestimated us, thinking she could just wipe us out in no time, but she doesn't realize that the both of us have God on our side. We slightly went overboard and I was the first to notice as Reimu was simply convulsing on the ground. I quickly ceased fire and managed to get Rumia to stop somehow. She said it was getting boring simply slaughtering food, despite the law of Gensokyo stating that you cannot eat native humans. I then told Rumia to stay put as I approached the helplessly shaking body.

**Reinhardt: **"I sincerely apologize for hurting you like this, Miss Hakurei, but I need to know something. Where is Yukari Yakumo and my friend Alice?" She was still convulsing too much to say anything without pain or clarity, so I waited in both pity and guilt. _Much _guilt. She eventually gained control over herself from the agony and pain though.  
**Reimu: **" _You fiend! _I didn't expect you to be able to slaughter me so quickly like you outsiders would. I underestimated you, didn't I? I see you have enlisted some assistance from a local man-eater to take me down."  
**Reinhardt: **"I like to have some company with me, especially when I know I might get in a fight. And also, I'm not like most outsiders. I actually overestimated myself and my friend here. I didn't expect that I would be able to take you down so easily with a non-lethal weapon like this."  
**Reimu: **"Hah, so you call a youkai a friend? I thought you would've been eaten by her the first day you came here."  
**Reinhardt: **"I wouldn't underestimate myself _that _much if I were you. I have a ways with words and I have faith in A God that's _much _unlike yours. I don't fail that easily."  
**Reimu: **"It must be Someone I've never heard of before because I've fought gods before and I hardly had a scratch on me."  
**Reinhardt: **"The first statement is true, however those 'gods' of yours aren't actually gods. There is only One God and He is The God I serve. All those others are simple youkai to me."  
**Reimu: **"Well you're rather rude. First you beat me up, then you insult the very deities that watch over Gensokyo! What more will this _outsider _plague us with?"  
**Reinhardt: **"I do apologize for hurting you as much as I did, but my faith is my faith. You can choose to believe or not. I won't force you, but I just want you to know that I have certain beliefs in order. That's why I refuse to use spell cards."  
**Reimu: **"How can you ever hope to survive in this world then? You are surrounded by powerful beings that use spell cards and magic that is powerful enough to kill if they wanted to, but the spell card rules prevents this from happening. You should be grateful for me."  
**Reinhardt: **"Well, for your information, I have A God that protects me from all dangers and He is all-powerful no matter what. And also, I have friends who care about me and are willing to protect me, which leads me to the question I was wanting to ask. Where is my friend, Alice?"  
**Reimu: **"Well then, I'm not surprised that you would befriend the shy and hospitable one, especially judging where you ran off to when you first came through Yukari's gap."  
**Reinhardt: **"Could you please tell me of her whereabouts? I would be rather gracious for an answer as much as my youkai friend would be rather gracious to feast on your carcass." Rumia waved at us ever-so-cheerfully.  
**Reimu: **"The law of this land forbids that. I'm a native while you are not. I could easily convince her to eat you instead."  
**Reinhardt: **"You're getting off-topic."  
**Reimu: **"Alright, I don't know where she is. Yukari mentioned her one night, though. You won't be able to find her though, so I'm afraid you won't find Alice either."  
**Reinhardt: **"Then where is Yukari, then?" I was getting slightly impatient.  
**Reimu: **"Like I said, you won't be able to find her. She finds you if she wants to, so your chances of reuniting with your... _sweetheart _are slim to none."  
**Reinhardt: **"You wouldn't dare keep your own friend hostage just to get at me, would you?"  
**Reimu: **"Well there seems to be nothing against it except you, but you make a valid point. Yukari, you can release her now."

Yukari then suddenly came out of one of her portals and dragged Alice out with her. Alice had her hands tied up, but Yukari unbound them and we both instantly ran toward each other and embraced each other like we never have before.

**Reinhardt: **"Thank God you're okay, Alice! I missed you so much!"  
**Alice: **"You must've gone through horrible things, Reinhardt. Yukari told me you were _dead. _" She seemed to concern herself over my bandages from the knife attack and my bites from Rumia.  
**Reinhardt: **"Oh, don't worry about these. I would never die as long as I have someone to live for."  
**Alice: **"God was watching over you the whole time? He protected me too. I decided to take a look at that Book of yours. I had a bit of trouble getting it open, but It taught me many things. I don't even know what to think about everyone else around me, but I let Marisa borrow it. Yukari took me before I could get it back for you, though."  
**Reinhardt: **"Don't worry. I stopped by Marisa's to get it back."  
**Alice: **"How did you convince her to take it back?"  
**Reinhardt: **"She said it didn't interest her, even though she needs it." I didn't realize that we were just chatting away, when Yukari interrupted our intimate conversation.  
**Yukari: **"Hey, I think that's enough chatting for now. I didn't come to give her back to _you. _She wasn't yours to begin with. I came to take you out!"  
**Reinhardt: **"There is _no way _I am going back after all I've been through. I'm staying here! I already have friends here that like me for who I am." Alice and Rumia stood by my side to support me in the case that Yukari decides to retaliate.  
**Alice: **"And for your information, Yukari, I am his and he is mine!"  
**Rumia: **"He's mine too! I bit him first!"  
**Yukari: **"Well, I'd hate to break the hearts of a quiet dollmaker and a youkai lower than humans, but an outsider is an outsider!"

Yukari readied a spell card, along with Alice and Rumia as Reimu barely managed to make it to her front doorstep. I simply ran toward her and tackled her with my hands strangling her throat. My skin felt like a thousand needles were piercing the surface and irritating me and slightly stronger pain shot through my already-present wounds, but that didn't stop me from attempting to strangle Yukari to death, however, she blasted me backward as both Rumia's and Alice's spell cards started up.

I quickly hauled myself up and loaded my Mosin Nagant, lunatic insanity getting the better of me. Either my aim was bad from my mind being under the influence of rage and adrenaline, but I hit Yukari's right shoulder instead of her head with one of my rifle rounds. Everyone stopped in both fear and awe of my choice. I would regret finally using my rifle. My instrument of pain, destruction and death. I'm glad at least the shot wouldn't kill her.

Yukari yelled in pain on the ground with her shoulder bleeding out on the ground. I instantly dropped my weapon on the ground, myself on my knees kneeling over with tears flowing from my eyes. All I could think of was guilt and the pain that weighed on my heart in tons. I cried prayers of repentance and asked God for forgiveness several times over, as if I was going to hell for what I have done. I couldn't stop the sorrow and guilt inside of me, but I managed to get myself up with my head down in shame and walked toward Yukari, who was holding her shoulder to try and prevent her bleeding.

**Reinhardt: **"Yukari, I'm sorry! I didn't know what came over me!" I didn't know what else to do at that point. After all, I never shot a person before with a legitimate brass round.  
**Alice: **"There's no time for that, Reinhardt! We have to get her to Dr. Yagokoro quickly! I'll grab your gun. Don't worry, I'll be careful with it."

I didn't let the guilt overcome me for too long. I would let this opportunity be my redemption for my name. I picked Yukari up from behind the knees and her ribs (heavy, this woman is!), being careful around the shoulder I shot. Alice, Rumia, and I headed down the stairs with Yukari in my arms. Once she got over the majority of the pain, she started to give me nasty looks and curse me. She even yelled at me as we were taking her due south toward a bamboo forest, but she couldn't do much without hurting herself. All movement shot pain through her shoulder, so she couldn't walk efficiently or have enough concentrated energy to fly, as if I would know anything about the power to fly.

We soon arrived in the bamboo forest after getting cursed at and spit on by the supposed "most powerful" youkai in Gensokyo. I had to apologize to her several times until she got bored with yelling at me, saying it hurt to do so. Alice led us through the forest with slight determination. We then arrived at a large Japanese-style building and entered. We had no time to look around, but the building was full of long hallways with rabbit people walking along the corridors. Alice asked some of them where Dr. Yagokoro would be. We made several turns and opened a sliding door to what looked like a proper pharmacy and clinic. Dr. Eirin Yagokoro looked like she was checking inventory and was surprised at our abrupt entrance and Yukari being held in my arms with her shoulder covered in blood.

**Eirin: **"Oh goodness, what has happened here?"  
**Alice: **"No time to explain, we need assistance with Yukari's wound immediately!"

I'm glad that Alice could think for me and knew the weight of the situation while my mind was still scarred and mixed with guilt, anger, and sorrow. Mostly guilt, but I made up for my rage-induced act with me carrying Yukari all the way over to Eientei. I couldn't think straight, of course, but at least I could help. That's the only thing I should need to do in the first place. I would have to leave the apologies for later.

I quickly, but gently set Yukari on a cot in Eirin's clinic as Eirin grabbed some medicine and a roll of bandages. Lord, forgive me for my haste and wrath taking action before my thoughts and words. My angry self did not know any better and I must make up for it by assisting my enemy instead of hurting her. I ask for strength that I will have more control over myself next time. If there is a next time.


	17. Ch 17: Aftereffects

It felt like time was nagging at me to do something yet again, only this time somebody else was in danger. You'd think that a powerful youkai would have some kind of bullet resistance, but I guess the hot and hard brass isn't something the people of Gensokyo know how to withstand, which is understandable since there seems to be no case of guns being found in Gensokyo in any history records I've ever read before. Regardless though, a powerful yet bleeding youkai was at the mercy of my hands and the precise and professional hands of Dr. Eirin Yagokoro.

**Eirin: **"You, Reinhardt is it?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Yes, Doctor?"  
**Eirin: **"Would you mind being useful and grabbing my small pair of pliers before I wrap this wound up? She was shot with an outside world bullet, wasn't she?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Ah... yes Doctor, she was."

I wasn't quite sure how she would react if I said I shot her, but I think that is obvious to whoever just looks at me. I proceeded to grab the pair of pliers. I wasn't sure if the bullet went clean through her shoulder or if a part of it was stuck inside.

**Eirin: **"By the looks of it, I think that bullet is still inside her shoulder. I'll need the pliers to try and pull it out." Yukari then started cursing me out while Eirin and I tried holding her still so Eirin could pull the bullet out of her shoulder.  
**Eirin: **"I'll need some Hydrogen Peroxide for the wound as well. Get that bottle right there next to the bandages and carefully pour a bit on Yukari's shoulder so infection won't spread anymore than it may have."  
**Reinhardt: **"Yes, Doctor."

It seems that Alice and Rumia have absolutely no clue what the both of us are doing, but I'm glad I was educated in the outside world before I came here. I don't think Eirin would be so kind being surrounded by fools. I would feel the same way, after all. We were able to pull out a small and pointy brass piece that is the bullet cartridge's projectile with minimal blood loss, but I wouldn't say the same for the yelling and cursing factor. It was mostly just to notify me of my status with Yukari, which is: **enemies **.

Eirin carefully wrapped up the wound after putting some medicine on it. Afterwards, Yukari seemed fine, but was told not to move her arm around much. That didn't stop her from using her good arm to punch me in the face though. Alice instantly jumped up to hold me and my bruised face while keeping herself in between me and Yukari.

**Yukari: **"The both of you are such a disgrace! An outsider human with a native magician? I can't even take _you _seriously anymore, Alice."  
**Alice: **"I don't care. He's actually a nice outsider once you get to know him. He helped me get my special book back for giving him hospitality!"  
**Yukari: **"Yeah? And I bet you put him up to the task yourself as payment."  
**Alice: **"No I didn't, he did it himself without me knowing. He's nice like that. Maybe if you were nice to him, he wouldn't have shot you!"  
**Eirin: **"_ You _shot her, Reinhardt?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Yes, Yukari threatened me though. She would have sent me back to the outside world as well if it weren't for my instinct actions that prevented her from doing so. And like Alice said, if it weren't for her cruelty towards me, I wouldn't have had to shoot her. I understand that I shouldn't have taken such harsh action toward her, though. And Yukari, if it still means anything to you, I'm sorry." Though I didn't get an apology or much of a good response from Yukari, she didn't look so hostile towards me after saying that, at least.  
**Yukari: **"You better not do that again or I might do the same to you."

After saying that, she disappeared into one of her gaps like she typically would, which left me, Alice, and the quiet and somehow patient Rumia to pay the doctor's bill. Alice offered to pay for it, but I wouldn't quite know the magnitude of the cost since I didn't get much into the economy around the Yen, but I was thankful nevertheless.

Alice, Rumia and I left Eientei with a bit of relief that Yukari didn't get seriously injured. We were led out of the Bamboo Forest by a woman by the name of Fujiwara no Mokou, who I have also heard of from my deep research into the chronicles of Gensokyo. She was nice enough to lead us out of the forest, who she says that people get lost in if it weren't for her.

I said goodbye to my little friend, Rumia, who gave me a nice bite on the arm as a way of saying goodbye. My arm could withstand it by now, even though Alice was concerned for my well-being after being bitten but I said it was fine and we continued back home. Strange, I actually call Alice's place home now for some reason. I guess it actually is now. I'm glad I have somewhere in Gensokyo to call home now, better yet with someone I love. I wasn't quite sure that the response I got from Yukari meant that I wouldn't be harassed again, but at least I'm good for now. What the future holds is for everyone to find out. It's an adventure, after all.


	18. Ch 18: Invitation from an Aristocrat

It was somewhat hard to imagine at that time, but it was true. I think I can finally have some _peace _for once. Things could finally settle down, for a while at least. Alice and I came back home from a long day and long journey to relax and put things back in order with the help of Alice's dolls. Alice started to command her dolls to clean the entire house while I put my gear back in my room, realizing I'm still missing something from my belongings.

**Reinhardt: **"Hey Alice?"  
**Alice: **"Yes Reinhardt?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Would you happen to know where my MP3 player is? It's a small device that makes music through these wires with buds on the end that go into your ears so you can hear the music."  
**Alice: **"Hm, oh! You mean this thing I found in your belongings?" She pulled out my MP3 player from her sleeve with the earbuds plugged in.  
**Reinhardt: **"Oh, so that's where it's been. I was starting to worry about losing it."  
**Alice: **"I actually had it with me the whole time we were separated. This strange device is actually pretty neat. I don't even know how it's supposed to make all that music in such a small box. I listened to some of the music you had on it. A few of the songs were too loud for me to handle and some of it I couldn't understand, but otherwise I enjoyed listening to it and having it with me. Did you want it back?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Well if you like some of the music on it, then you can borrow it as much as you want."  
**Alice: **"Really?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Sure. Anything for you."  
**Alice: **"Thanks, Reinhardt. I don't know how to return your kindness, not just for this but for you going out of your way to find me after Yukari took me hostage to get to you."  
**Reinhardt: **"It's because you were so kind to me. I knew you would do the same for me, and I still love you like I said before we separated." Alice blushed.  
**Alice: **"You're truly serious, aren't you?"  
**Reinhardt: **"I am. Why wouldn't I be?"  
**Alice: **"I don't know, it's just that I don't get that much attention around Gensokyo, that's all. Well, except from Marisa but she's so outrageously popular that I could hardly see her as much of a friend. She's everywhere with everyone, but it seems that you don't get along too well with her."  
**Reinhardt: **"Yeah, about that. When I first found out that you went missing, I went over to Marisa's house and... kinda blew a huge hole into her roof by shooting her Mini-Hakkero before she shot me into Oblivion."  
**Alice: **"What? Is Marisa alright?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Don't worry, I didn't injure her at all, only her insurance bill. That is if she has one. If not then her housing situation is screwed until she can repair that hole her Mini-Hakkero made. She won't be Master-Sparking anyone anytime soon though. Her weapon is broken too." Alice had an expression of surprise and disbelief with her jaw dropped.  
**Reinhardt: **"Don't worry, though. That's not the only news. I made sure to keep the house in order while you were gone. I also had Rumia over since she needed somewhere to stay before I went to the Hakurei Shrine to find you. Don't worry, she behaved herself. I made sure to that. She also stayed on my side because I let her chew on my arm a bit."  
**Alice: **"Goodness gracious, so many thing have happened while I was gone! Is your arm alright?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Yeah, it's fine. There's plenty other stories to tell, though."

I told Alice about the time I spent in the underground city and my visits with the residents of the SDM. She was astonished at how much I've been through just for her. I also told her about clearing my reputation with the help of the Kakashi Spirit News journalist Hatate Himekaidou and the assistance I got from Yuugi Hoshiguma and Nitori Kawashiro. She felt better, knowing that I had more friends that could help the sun was setting, however, the question arose about where I'll stay _indefinitely _.

**Reinhardt: **"Are you sure I can live here with you until I can figure out a housing solution?"  
**Alice: **"Of course! I would never think of letting you wander the wild after everything you went through to reunite with me. I love you too, remember?"  
**Reinhardt: **"I would never forget."

I now _officially _had somewhere in Gensokyo I could call home. I slept in my bed given to me by the kindest soul in Gensokyo with a feeling of safety and belonging that could last my entire lifetime. Thank You, Lord, for everything You've done for me since I arrived in Gensokyo. Thank You for always protecting me from danger, even in the darkest of places with the most dangerous of beasts.

The news we got a few days after we could relax changed my view on this safety I had for once in my life. One morning after settling in from the long ordeal we both went through, we got a letter from Remilia Scarlet.

**Alice: **"Hm, I couldn't imagine what she would want, but let's just see."

She opened the letter to reveal an invitation to a party around a week from now. She immediately called me over to read it with her while I was in my room. I was a bit concerned, though, with the particular invitation from the very person who wanted me for dinner (literally).

**Reinhardt: **"I'm not so sure about going to this party, but then again I promised Remilia that I would visit her again so she would let me leave her mansion with my life."  
**Alice: **"Don't worry, if anything happens, you always have me by your side." These words of assurance were more than enough to comfort me.  
**Reinhardt: **"Thanks. Here's another thing about this invitation though, guests are strongly advised to bring a homemade dish, let's make a good impression by making something special for them."  
**Alice: **"What do you have in mind? I was thinking of making something sweet as our dish."  
**Reinhardt: **"I have a good idea. Do you know how to make a German Apple Pancake? I think I remember the recipe, only we should add a bit more sugar than required because last time I made one, it tasted very eggish since it requires around six eggs."  
**Alice: **"Wunderbar! I think I've heard of the recipe too. We can prepare it a day before the party. We should send a letter in return, notifying them of our attending to the party."  
**Reinhardt: **"I'll make sure to dress for the occasion as well. I'll show this world that I am a good person and I don't give up easily."


	19. Ch 19: Tying Up Loose Ends

The week that would anticipate the upcoming party made me feel more life within myself again the way life should flow through a man's soul. I enjoyed spending some time with Alice in peace finally, as well as hearing from my winged friend, Hatate, that her latest issue of the Kakashi Spirit News was an absolute hit everywhere. She finally had more paper sales than Aya and her Bunbunmaru News than ever before. I was no doubt the talk of the town now. That would most definitely help me out when Alice and I arrive to the party. I wouldn't have to worry about being seen as the bad guy anymore, but even when that wasn't enough to ease my conscience, Alice was always there to comfort me, telling me that things at the party would be alright.

We decided to prepare the German Apple Pancake that we planned on making for the party a day before we were to arrive at Remilia's Scarlet Estate. We enjoyed baking together without the dolls' assistance. I made sure to put extra sugar in to make the final product sweeter than I've tasted before in my experience with the dish. We wrapped it up and saved it for tomorrow. I just knew that everyone was going to love it, although not everyone could get a slice of it. There was only so much to go around, after all.

The night of the party, Alice had her Shanghai doll by her side and I carried the dish with me as we walked along the road to the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Everything was all together with us. I decided not to take any weapons besides my survival knife only for worst-case scenarios, but Alice would take care of that for me if need be, however, there was still some haunting in my mind as I walked with Alice. I was still worried that I wouldn't be accepted socially like I wasn't back home. I kept thinking about how I stood out badly to everyone around me.

**Reinhardt: **"Alice..."  
**Alice: **"Yes, Reinhardt?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Do you think I'll be left out of everything? There's so many people who are so well known among each other that I'm not sure if-"  
**Alice: **"You shouldn't worry so much. You haven't been sleeping because of that." I just about forgot about my restless nights being haunted by a lack of feeling accepted.  
**Alice: **"I can introduce you to some people and try and tell them that you're not a bad person. You might even be able to find some people you've met before like you've told me about in your little story."  
**Reinhardt: **"Alright. Thanks for helping me calm down. I needed that."  
**Alice: **"What are friends for? You were willing to search Gensokyo inside-out for me."

Her words never ceased to help my psychological state improve. She smiled at me and I managed a smile back for her kindness. I was hoping that I could talk with the other friends I've made along the way like Nitori, the tech-loving kappa, Rumia, the reborn Youkai through Christ, and Yuugi Hoshiguma, the oni that trained me when I desperately needed the help. I don't know how she would react to seeing me again though, especially after our bad argument, but I hope she can forgive me of my actions (or lack thereof).

We arrived at the front gate where Hong Meiling, the SDM's gatekeeper greeted us and allowed us in after showing her our invitation and prepared dish. I saw many fairies, both maids and regular denizens, flying around the front courtyard along with Melody, who came to me with enthusiasm and joy. I introduced Melody to Alice as my friend and told her how we met.

Alice was met with a bit of surprise when Melody and I said that I named her. I guess it seemed a bit unusual that an outsider would name a denizen of Gensokyo, but nevertheless Melody escorted us personally into the mansion with the other guests. Some came up as familiar from my diggings into the Gensokyo Chronicles. Others were rather unfamiliar to me or their names easily escaped my memory. Melody took our dish and put it at the serving table with the other dishes brought by the other guests. Everyone at the party was either given a little tour around the mansion by the fairy maids or sitting at tables with food and discussions of many kinds. We then met with our hostess, Remilia Scarlet herself.

**Reinhardt: **"I told you I'd visit again, m'lady. I promised too."  
**Remilia: **"You really are a man of your word, Reinhardt. I respect that about you. I'm glad you could make it too, Alice."  
**Alice: **"It's nice to be here at another one of your parties. Sakuya does an amazing job cooking."  
**Remilia: **"I'll make sure to tell her that."  
**Reinhardt: **"Speaking of Sakuya, any chance I could find her if she isn't busy?"  
**Remilia: **"She should be done with all of the meals by now. You can probably find her cleaning up in the kitchen. Why?"  
**Reinhardt: **"I need to tell her something, that's all. Alice, I'll be right back. I can meet you in the dining hall afterward."  
**Alice: **"Alright. Don't take too long. I'll save a seat for you."  
**Reinhardt: **"Thanks."

I asked Melody where I could find the kitchen and she showed me the way. Inside, I saw Sakuya holding her pocket watch in her hand after seemingly cleaning the kitchen rather well in no time at all (literally). She noticed me coming in and put her pocket watch away.

**Sakuya: **"Ah yes, Torres-san. So you've decided to show up to the party with Alice? The mistress decided to invite you and Alice here, but I wasn't sure if you would show up, especially after our little run-in."  
**Reinhardt: **"Oh right, about that. I came here to say that I'm sincerely sorry for hurting you."  
**Sakuya: **"It's fine. It should be me doing the apologizing. I was the one that hurt you more severely. Were you able to recover well?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Actually, yes with the help of one of your fellow maids. She still thought I was a guest, fortunately. It also came to my attention that she didn't have a name, so in return for her kindness and assistance, I gave her a name. Her name is Melody. She's the fairy that has the reddish hair, brown eyes, and light blue outfit."  
**Sakuya: **"You named one of my subordinates? I thought only the master had the right to name a servant without a name."  
**Reinhardt: **"I'm sorry if it seems unorthodox, but she was very happy to finally have a name. She was also the maid that escorted Alice and me through the mansion. She's very helpful and very friendly as well."  
**Sakuya: **"I guess it's alright if it helps her work. Most of the fairies in the mansion seem to have lack in work quality, so I do most of the work compared to them."  
**Reinhardt: **"Well no wonder, you have the ability to manipulate time so you can do jobs in literally _no time _at all. Heh heh."  
**Sakuya: **"Hmhm. I suppose so. Well take care and enjoy the party."  
**Reinhardt: **"I will, and it's said that your cooking is amazing, according to my friend, Alice."  
**Sakuya: **"Well that's rather nice of her to say. Tell her I said thank you."  
**Reinhardt: **"I'll make sure she hears your words. And another thing, call me Reinhardt."  
**Sakuya: **"I'll keep that in mind, _Reinhardt _."

I headed back to where I came from and followed the majority of the noise to the dining hall slightly crowded with people. I looked for the table with my friend Alice, but when I spotted her, I saw a few more familiar figures sitting with her, which made me feel a bit uneasy and nervous about sitting down.

The other guests that came to the party and sat with Alice were none other than Yuugi, Marisa, Reimu Hakurei, and Yukari Yakumo. I took my time to think through what could possibly happen as I took a plate at the serving table and picked out a few good-looking Japanese dishes and desserts to pack my plate before I confronted the people I eventually had to face civilly. I prayed to God in my mind that things hopefully wouldn't go as bad as I thought it would. I ever-so-carefully and nervously made my way to the table to face my final fears.


	20. Ch 20: Somewhere I Belong

With my filled plate in hand in the midst of the rather social crowd, my seat was in my sights next to the new love of my life, Alice Margatroid. Surrounding her, however, was a few of my worst enemies yet with my former trainer and temporary friend, Yuugi Hoshiguma. I had absolutely no idea, _keine ahnung _, what they wanted from me and what they were doing with Alice. Well, of course I considered that Reimu and Marisa are relatively friends of hers, but Yukari was going to be a serious problem for me to be around, especially after our little incident together about me shooting her in the shoulder with my rifle out of anger and refusal to go back to the outside world.

I slowly made my way to the table, looking forward only to Alice and my seat she saved for me that her Shanghai doll was hovering over. Fear-filled questions instantly filled my mind as I glanced at Yukari and Yuugi. Will Yuugi forgive me? Will Yukari as well? Would Reimu and Marisa be jerks toward me? Can Alice support me through this part of life that I've always been known to have had problems with in the past, socializing? I finally set my plate at the table and sat down as everyone present was staring at me.

**Alice: **"So how was your visit with Sakuya?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Fine. I apologized for earlier conflict with her and she did as well for the time she stabbed me in the arm."  
**Alice: **"Oh goodness."  
**Reinhardt: **"At least it's fine now. She also says thank you for complimenting her cooking. I should try it as well."

I could simply feel the tension in the atmosphere as Yukari, Yuugi, Reimu, and Marisa looked at me with varying expressions on their faces. Yukari and Reimu seemed like they question my survival and existence here with an unfriendly glare. Marisa looks like she has no clue about my endurance level with confusion. Yuugi seems pretty impressed, unlike everyone else.

**Alice: **"Well we're all gathered here for a reason, right ladies? Reinhardt, there's something that everyone here at this table wants to tell you."  
**Reinhardt: **"I'm honestly stressing over here about what everyone could possibly want from me."  
**Alice: **"Yuugi, you can start. Then you can go back to drinking with your fellow oni and underground people."  
**Yuugi: **"Alright, well I'll try and make this quick then. Reinhardt, although I'm usually a figure that looks down upon cowardice and weakness, I've come to realize how your own rules of engagement are how you endure through everything that comes your way, and to me that shows you that you can probably take on the all of Gensokyo if you tried. I actually respect that about you. I'm proud to call you my trainee."  
**Reinhardt: **"Thank you so much, Yuugi. I admire your words and respect the things you stand for, as well as all of the things you've done for me, but I wouldn't go as far as to saying that I could take on Gensokyo entirely." She gave a polite nod as did I and she went off to meet with her friend, Suika, along with some other people I've met underground. Then Marisa, who was seated next to Alice, leaned in and spoke up.  
**Marisa: **"I'll go next, ze! Reinhardt, I honestly don't know why you're hanging around _my _best friend, but after you came to my house and shot my Mini-Hakkero back, making it break and blow almost my whole roof off in the process, I still actually didn't favor too much but I then realized that you're really a force to be reckoned with, ze. You only shot one bullet _on the spot _whereas we fire several at once and still miss sometimes,ze! You actually managed to scare me a bit there, but I still don't know why you're hanging out with my friend all the time."  
**Reinhardt **"Well for starters, Alice can have more than one friend. And also, you may not know this but Alice and I love each other." Alice blushed and bundled up into herself, leaning a bit toward me though. Everyone else at the table had wide eyes.  
**Marisa: **"Really?! Alice, is that true?"  
**Alice: **"Well... yes." Marisa was met with absolute speechlessness. She kinda stayed that way for a while as her words stuttered hopelessly in confusion.  
**Reinhardt: **"Heh, well moving on then. Did you two want anything from me? Reimu, Yukari? Oh, and by the way, I'm sorry about the whole injury stuff. I just about went lunatic when I started using the weapon Nitori made with me. I really am." That last comment came to mind when I saw Yukari's wrapped up shoulder with a blood stain still remaining on it and noticed Reimu's static twitching.  
**Reimu: **"I guess I'll speak up next. I usually find trying to solve incidents bothersome, especially when it's issued to me by somebody else, but it's usually my job to do things like this. However, this little incident seemed much less like an incident but a bit more like a run-in with a little trouble. I still didn't appreciate getting shocked half to death, but I accept your apology since it was sincere. To me, you seem more like somebody who has everything dropped on his world instead of mine, now that I look back on it, so I understand that you just need a little peace as long as you're not doing anything harmful in our secret little community. Otherwise we _will _find you again and take action accordingly."  
**Reinhardt: **"I understand, Miss Hakurei. I'm not here to cause trouble. I'm actually here to get away from trouble. The troubles of the outside world. It's a frightening and tragically corrupt place that nobody would ever want to go to if you knew what I knew. Trust me on that."  
**Reimu: **I guess I'll take your word for it. I trust that you're an honest man, Reinhardt."  
**Yukari: **"I've actually seen the outside world for myself as well. Fairly recently too. That was when I heard about you infiltrating Gensokyo. Ran called me as soon as you ran off into the woods, so I didn't have time to make anything of my visit."  
**Reinhardt: **"My dearest apologies, Miss Yakumo."  
**Yukari: **"It's fine. So back on the topic of the outside world. Why do you hate it so much?"  
**Reinhardt: **"Well I'm not sure if you've looked much into the outside world affairs in depth, but the rulers, society, and some cultures are entirely corrupt. Everything's being constricted into dictatorships disguised under so-called 'righteous governments' and being pasted over by 'good' governmental acts. As if America's idea of Social Darwinism was bad enough. I don't expect you to understand everything I'm ranting about, but you get my point, correct?"  
**Yukari: **"Yes. Also, about everything that has happened to you here in Gensokyo, since you've proven to me that you're here for a good reason, I must make a confession." Well, here it was. I couldn't imagine what Yukari had to say to me, but it seemed that she wasn't concerned so much about her shoulder wound.  
**Yukari: **"Well, I usually don't tell people much about the scheme of things but I figured you deserve to know after all you've gone through as an outsider. I actually set up many of the events in this entire ordeal of yours." I was instantly met with anger and tempted to grab my knife as a reflex, but I knew that would do me no good. I started to question many things about my journey, including what I have with Alice.  
**Yukari: **"Now before you go and do something you'll instantly regret, I was going to tell you more in-depth. First off, when I sent you underground, I was hoping you would meet Yuugi, so I told her about you and made a bet with her so that she would train you to become stronger so you could get back up to the surface. As for Lady Remilia, I told her to toy around with you so if you failed, you would be eaten. If you managed to escape her grasp, you'd survive. Keep in mind that we could have killed you if we wanted to, but we noticed that you had a certain aura about you that prevented you from doing exactly the same to us, even though you could've easily done away with us if _you _wanted to, so I knew that there was a good soul within your mortal outsider body. That is why I tested you. Although you seem to refuse to utilize magic or any faith-based powers, you always seem to find a way to solve conflicts."  
**Reimu: **"Yeah, like before he almost shocked me to death, I noticed that he had a youkai with him that usually eats humans like him, but she never did. Little Rumia seemed to have been tamed by Reinhardt somehow. We would like to know how you managed to do such a thing. I thought you said that you don't like using magic according to Yuugi."  
**Reinhardt: **"Well it's actually pretty simple and it's not magic either. She mentioned something about 'The Saint who was crucified' and I knew exactly Who she was talking about. That 'Saint' is none other than my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Son of God, The One and Only. I believe in Christianity as did she, but I could tell her more about Christ than she originally knew and I let her gnaw on my arm a bit so she would be at least a little satisfied and stay with me. It's always nice to have company rather than being alone, especially with me being an outsider."  
**Yukari: **"Impressive."  
**Reimu: **"Understandable."  
**Marisa: **"Unbelievable, ze."  
**Alice: **"I thought that story was touching the first time he told me, along with the one about naming a fairy maid."  
**Reimu: **"You did _what _now?"  
**Reinhardt: **" I think Melody can tell the story much better."

I looked around for Melody and called her over to tell Yukari, Reimu, and Marisa about the story of her name. They were pretty surprised at what she had to say as she told it with much enthusiasm. Afterwards, I got a chance to tell them stories about legendary assassins, stealth operatives and moral levels in the outside world. At the same time, I told them all about outside world advancements and technology, and to my surprise, Nitori popped up behind me and Alice to listen in on my technology stories since she's so interested in that kind of stuff.

The next thing I knew, Rumia and her little friends gathered around me to hear the many tales that I could offer to tell them. To my surprise, I had an entire audience around me, including our very own nocturnal hostess, Lady Remilia Scarlet and her little sister, Flandre. I honestly didn't expect to be such a hit at the party, but it seems like I've found a place where I'm finally accepted.

My life had an entire 180 degree turn when I came to Gensokyo. At first, my life was always in danger, now it's filled with nothing but peace from the chaos of the outside world. I took up a job as a youkai exterminator due to my excellent marksman's skills and assassin's intuition. It seems that there's still some nasty souls out there causing more than regular trouble that requires permanent resolution. It's sad for it to come down to me exterminating them, but somebody must do it.

I still live with Alice since I don't have a house of my own, but maybe eventually I'll get one... or I could just live with Alice for as long as we love each other. I visit Nitori sometimes to work on complicated projects. She says she doesn't usually work with people, but since I have knowledge of outside things, she would be more than willing to learn from me. It also seems that she found my old blue MP3 player that I completely lost a few years ago, but I let her keep it since she seems to like some of the music I had on there.

I also got paid to repossess some of Patchouli's books from Marisa's house, which went pretty well, considering my innate ability to sneak around people. And yes, I got around to stealing her big intercontinental ballistic missile before it decided to go off on all of Gensokyo. Lord forgive me for doing such a thing, but I also decided to sell it to a guy named Rinnosuke who runs a shop close to Alice's house. That's how I got most of my money to live off of with Alice. I also taught Alice how to use my laptop computer, Samantha. It took about an entire month for her to get everything straight and for her to get over me having a picture of her as my background as well, but she loves using it to play games and chat with Nitori since apparently, she has a computer as well.

Another wonderful thing that happened during my downtime is that I was offered to talk to a certain person that writes the entire history of Gensokyo. Her name is Hieda no Akyuu. Yukari introduced me and we had a little interview, along with a story telling of my entire journey from the day I entered into Gensokyo to what I do now as an accepted citizen of Gensokyo. I called the story, The Chronicles of Reinhardt.

Most of all, I thank God for helping me through all of these trials with His help. I would never know what to do if God didn't have a plan for me to survive, but with His guidance, I was able to convert many people to Christianity, humans and little youkai alike, although some of the other religious organizations didn't take too kindly to that, but I would worry about that later. We have some common meetings, mostly on Sundays and holidays, where I would read my Bible to them. I truly feel that I'm somewhere I belong, thanks to many of the Gensokyans' kindness.


End file.
